Warframe: Hunters
by Kalenath Shok-Tan
Summary: This is a direct follow on to 'Endings' and there are reasons that no one sane angered Serene. This is a fanfiction, I own none of the rights to Warframe.
1. Chapter 1

**Speed**

He was the fastest.

Nothing else mattered. Speed was all that mattered. He flew through the air and landed, maintaining his speed. His invisibility cloaked him like a second skin and he darted between two Crewmen, ignoring both. He could have struck either or both of them down in passing, but that would have slowed him down. Anything that slowed him down was unacceptable. The lights flickered and he ignored them, focusing on his path through the gargantuan Corpus starship. If it was an assassin of some kind, he would simply outrun them. It wasn't his problem, the others would kill the assassins. Or not. Not his problem. He had a mission and credits to make and that was all that mattered. Other Tenno were inconsequential. Slow, feeble or otherwise not able to keep up? They didn't matter. Only speed did.

He ran on even when a waypoint appeared in his HUD. The other team members calling for help. Fools. Didn't they know that would slow him down? If they couldn't handle a few assassins, then what good were they?

The only thing that mattered was finishing the mission and getting his credits. Nothing more. He saw the icons of the team suddenly change and ignored them. Someone would revive the fool who had gone down. Another fell and he sighed. He would have to do the mission solo it seemed. Not a problem, he would finish it faster if he didn't have to wait for the fools to catch up. He threw himself across a chasm as text scrolled across his HUD that he ignored. Some kind of bleating to come back or help or- WHAT THE-?

RUN! RUN! RUN! RU-

One word. One repeated word that cut off. What the hell? He actually stumbled his landing and jerked to a halt. None of the Corpus crew or mechs that surrounded him saw him as he keyed a query on his HUD. There was no reply. All three of the others were down. That shouldn't have been possible. Even Stalker wouldn't have taken all three of them! The kinslayer would have killed his target and then vanished. And... none were reviving. This was _wrong_.

Something blossomed inside his Swindle helmet. He wasn't sure for a moment what it was. Then he realized. It was _fear_. He shook himself and ignored it. He had a mission and he would complete it. 5000 credits wasn't much, but it was what he did. He made credits. Nothing else mattered. He didn't like being saddled with slow fools, but the Lotus insisted on occasion.

He started off gain, this time faster. He flew from wall to wall, over the heads of MOAs and Crewmen. None saw him. He made it to his destination and paused, just for a moment, to hack the console that guarded his target. He smiled under his helmet as he saw the Corpus security grid.

The Corpus were very good at a lot of things. Automation was their pride and joy. They were quite good at it. But in the end, when someone was faster than the automated systems, they were quite _useless_. He was past the laser grids and cameras in ten seconds flat. Not a record, but pretty good. A thrown Hikou disabled the sole camera that covered the access to the vault and he started hacking. Again, he was fast. It was what he did. But when the data transferred, instead of the Lotus congratulating him on not setting off any alarms, she screamed at him.

 _Tenno Franklin! RUN! Now!_

He paused, just a for a second. What the hell? That was just a second too _long_.

The impact took him in the side, throwing him to the floor beside the now empty data vault he had just plundered. That wasn't _possible!_ He was still invisible. No Corpus were in the vault! He hadn't been detected! He snarled to himself as he rolled to his feet and... stared down at the _arrow_ that had impaled him. He jerked it free and shuddered. It looked... kind of like one of Stalker's arrows. But not entirely. Some sixth sense warned him and he dodged to the side as _another_ arrow tore through where he had just been. He couldn't see anything. No shooter.

 _Lotus!_ He screamed in his mind as he fled for his life. _What is going on?_

 _Get away from her!_ The Lotus begged. _She killed the others! We may or may not be able to revive them. But you... I think she is after you._

 _Who is shooting at me?_ The warframe danced as before through the milling Corpus. None of them had any idea what was happening or why. Then an arrow that missed him neatly decapitated a passing Crewman and all of the Corpus who could see the now slumping body screamed warnings. Two of them turned to hit alarms and the cloaked Tenno poured on the speed.

 _Just move!_ The Lotus commanded. _As fast as you can, Tenno. You cannot fight her. Not there._ He jerked to a stop, anger flaring. _No..._

 _I do not run from fights Lotus!_ He snapped in his mind, only to freeze as every single Corpus in the area suddenly curled up on themselves and fell to lie still. The power... he could see it flaring on his HUD. That was a Banshee Sound Quake! That the hell? Then his day got worse.

"Funny..." The _voice_. He _knew_ the voice. "You _run_ from fights every day. Why _shouldn't_ you run from this one, coward?"

 _Franklin RUN!_ The Lotus' voice screamed in his skull. He ignored it as he cut his cloak and readied his swords.

"Serene." Tenno Franklin smiled under his helmet. There was a reward for her capture. A big one. "Show yourself sister."

"I am no sister of _yours_." Serene's voice... was wrong. "You have led me a merry chase. But here it ends." Franklin shook his head.

"I do not want to fight you, sister." Indeed, he did not. If he fought, he might get hurt and that would slow him down. Not acceptable.

"Fight?" She asked incredulously. Then she laughed. It was mocking, that laugh. "Oh, I am not going to _fight_ you, Franklin. It wouldn't be much of a fight. You cowardly excuse for a Tenno. I wouldn't sully my hands. This is not a fight. This was a _hunt_. Thank you for playing the fleeing prey so well." She made a noise of contentment. "Then again, this really wasn't fair. I knew what you would do. _Everything_ you would do. You would leave the others to die and run off to do your own thing. Because you are a cowardly piece of crap who lets others fight for you. If you take an Exterminate mission, it is to run around finding treasures while others kill everything."

"And?" Franklin was tapping his foot. He was getting bored.

"You really should have cultivated some patience, Franklin." Serene said with a sigh. "It might have saved your life."

"You cannot catch me, Serene." Franklin said with a smirk. "You are not fast enough."

"I am faster than you think, Franklin." Serene said quietly. "But today? I don't _have_ to be." Those words chilled the Loki and he stared around for a moment, but nothing in his surroundings seemed to be a threat. "Don't bother. You might be fast, but I am darkness. You cannot find me unless I wish. And I don't."

"What is the point of this, Serene?" Franklin demanded. "Because if you will not surrender, and you will not fight, and you will not..." He paused as something horrific sounded in his mind. "No..."

'...'

"Right on time." Serene sounded... content.

"Serene, what have you _done_?" Franklin jerked and hit his Invisibility, only to scream as an arrow took him in the right arm. It disrupted his invisibility somehow and he was left clutching his arm in plain sight. "Serene..."

"Me?" Serene sounded innocent now. "Nothing. I just slowed you down enough for the Corpus security network to get a good look at you." She paused. "Oh, and I _did_ see a report of a Zanuka being seen on this ship too." Artful innocence almost masked the malice. _Almost_.

"Serene, don't do this." Franklin had never thought to her himself beg. He screamed as another arrow took him in the left leg. He started off, only to see all of the hatches in the area close and lock. He didn't have much time. "Serene!"

"How many times have you supported the Grineer, Franklin?" Serene asked, ignoring the stumbling Loki. "I am honestly curious. They must have offered you a lot. Or was it just more credits? That is after all, your defining point. Greed."

"You can't do this!" Franklin said sharply. "I am Tenno! Like you!"

"YOU ARE _**NOTHING**_ LIKE ME!" Serene screamed. "I loved a proud and noble _woman_! _You_ love _credits_! You leave our kin to _die_ because you _can_ in the name of _credits_!" Another arrow hit his other arm and he fell to roll and come up. "You are a mercenary backstabbing piece of shit. My only true regret is that I cannot _watch_ as Alad V takes you _apart_. I hope and pray you are _awake_ for it."

The female Tenno's voice vanished but Franklin had no time to relax. Another voice sounded.

 _Tenno? Can you hear me? You've been a naughty little betrayer, haven't you? Did you really think your support for the Grineer would go unnoticed?_ Alad V's smug voice sounded across his mind, but he barely noticed it, the terror was rising. He was... it was...

 _No..._ Franklin tried to pull the arrows out, but his hands were not working right. He couldn't run. He couldn't fight. All he could do as Zanuka appeared nearby, paused on seeing him and then pounced was _scream_.

* * *

 **Nearby**

She watched from her high perch as Zanuka made short work of the disabled Loki and picked his still form up to carry it away. She hoped that he would be awake for what Alad V would do to him. If _anyone_ deserved to be awake and aware while being dissected, that mercenary pile of refuse did. She took no comfort in what she had done. It was wrong, but it was needed. How many Tenno had Franklin killed through negligence, apathy and greed? How many...

 _Serene..._ The Lotus was crying. _Serene, please..._ There had been a time when Serene had loved the woman who spoke in her head. Now? She only felt caution. If the Lotus could find her, so could others. _Serene, please. You need help. You haven't killed anyone yet, sister. Not even Franklin. Serene, talk to me! Please!_

Serene's eyes narrowed under her helmet. She had disabled the other three of Franklin's cell before moving to confront the treacherous Loki. His treason had to be stopped. He was guilty. She had dealt with him. The others? They had just been in the way. She regretted that a bit, but they would recover, in time. If the Corpus didn't take them that was. She snarled at herself and started off to where she had ambushed the others. It hadn't been much of a fight. None of them had been very good. If they had been, it would have been different. Anyone with experience on being paired with Franklin would have left to find another assignment and _damn_ the penalties. He got kin killed regularly. But it was never _his_ fault. Oh no. They couldn't keep up, so it was _their_ fault, not his. She forced herself to relax. He was handled. She could trust Alad V to handle _that_ if nothing else.

She moved through the ducts as a deadly red and black ghost. Stalker's form of transport was...odd. But she had to admit it was effective. She had appeared not quite in the sight of the trio who had been playing it smart when Franklin had abandoned them. They had stayed together, supporting one another. A Frost, a Mag and an Ash, all had worked together. Until they had run into her anyway. None of them had been prepared. She had altered the harmonics of her Sound Quake so they could not protect against her. The Mag had gone own in seconds. Even utterly unprepared for her onslaught, the three had fought well. The Frost had tried to revive the Mag while the Ash had gone for Serene.

That hadn't worked out so well for them. Stalker's Despair had torn through the Ash and he had gone down moments before his own blade could have reached Serene. The Frost hadn't even tried to run. He had been throwing lead at her until her arrow had taken him down. But her shields had been far, far stronger than a normal Banshee's. Stalker had all kinds of cool toys in the storehouse whose location Serene had tortured out of the kinslayer before leaving the dojo she had called home for the last time.

She had a mission now. But she wasn't Franklin. She understood regret. She regretted having to disable those three Tenno. They had fought well and bravely against a foe that none could have expected or planned for.

Serene made her way through the ducts, but froze just before the opening that she had used to enter the ducts to chase down Franklin. Something was wrong. She couldn't hear anything. She couldn't see anything. But something was wrong. She knew this feeling, she had felt it before. She was being watched. She pulled a small sphere from a pouch and slid it towards the opening. It stopped just at the opening and she ghosted back into the duct. The tiny video camera attached to the rolling machine slid out and a tiny image appeared on her HUD. She stared, her stomach suddenly doing flips.

"No..." Serene swallowed hard as she saw the Corpus troops surrounding the Zanuka as it marked each fallen warframe. It could only carry one at a time, but from how the Corpus were acting... These were Alad V's men as well. She was indecisive for a moment, She could fight Zanuka, certainly. But then Franklin would escape to hurt kin again. She could kill the Corpus easily enough. But then Zanuka would escape. If she did nothing, those three Tenno who had only been in her way would die. She sighed, she was not Franklin.

But then the image changed. Zanuka vanished and the Corpus troops deployed as huge white form slammed into their midst. A Rhino warfame. One she knew.

"Karl..." Serene swallowed again, but forced herself to withdraw. Those fallen kin would take no harm from the Corpus if Karl was there. But then she came to a sudden stop. Coming face to face with a Boar shotgun in the confines of the duct would do that. The gray Loki was also someone she knew. "Hello Aeron."

"Serene." Aeron's voice was calm. That was good. "Nicely done with Franklin. Couldn't have done it better myself." High praise from the sniper. He _defined_ sneaky and vindictive. "The others..." He gave sigh, but his muzzle didn't waver.

"They would have tried to help him." Serene said softly. "I was trying to disable. Not kill."

"You did." Aeron reassured her and she relaxed a bit. "They are angry. Can't blame them." Serene tensed, what was he doing? "Serene, Amelia is alive."

"Right." Serene drawled out the word mockingly. "Alive in a _stasis pod_. Never to wake. Sounds kind of _dead_ to me."

"Serene, she isn't dead." Aeron pressed. "Please, sister. You haven't crossed the line yet. Don't. We can help." Serene grimaced. This Tenno _was_ a brother. A good brother. He had trouble with his temper, but still, a good brother. He did not move as she knelt. "Serene..."

"No, you can't." Serene said softly. "The guilty will be punished. When next we meet, we meet as _enemies_." She keyed for a recall and felt the void take her as Aeron's shotgun roared. Too late. She tried to ignore the impassioned scream from outside the ducts. Karl screaming her name as she vanished.

* * *

 **The dojo**

"Three hurt and one missing." Brianna sighed as she worked on the unconscious Mag. "Sister Nancia will be all right." Everyone relaxed a bit at that. "The other?"

The clan had brought the recovered kin back to the dojo for treatment. None would wake soon, but the Mag had been the only one in true danger of permanent death. But they had been in time.

"Oh, _that_ one is _dead_." Karl shook his head. "Serene didn't kill him herself, but she killed him as surely as if she _had_." He sighed. "Tenno Franklin was a nasty piece of work, but _that_...?" He actually shuddered an most of the others in the medical ward shared it.

"She is scary." A weak voice from the side had all eyes turning. Amelia Priosa sat in the wheelchair that would be her home for the foreseeable future. Being shot nine times left marks that would be slow to fade. "I had to see!" She declared as Karl inhaled to reprimand her.

"Amelia." Brianna sighed and finished her work. "You are still too weak." She moved to the chair. "Where is Kori?"

"Asleep." Amelia said softly. "She has been so good to me. For me. I don't deserve her. But I had to see. I had to know. Serene... _Serene_ did this..." The hurt doctor was crying. Brianna sighed and took her hands in gentle grips. "I know what she is. I know how she gets. But I didn't _believe_."

"I know, Amelia." Karl moved to kneel beside the hurt woman's chair. "She didn't believe Aeron either."

"Then we have to get _me_ to see her. Somehow." Amelia recoiled as everyone in the room snarled a negative. "But... get her somewhere with no exits. Put me there. She won't hurt me."

"She won't allow that, Amelia. She won't allow herself to be trapped like that." Karl said taking one of Amelia's hands from Brianna to hold. "And neither can _we_. Anywhere that she can go will be far too dangerous to take you. Even if you were in perfect condition, she will go places we cannot take you. _Ever_."

"But we have to stop her!" Amelia said savagely. "This is... We have to stop her!"

"I know." Karl slumped a bit. "But Amelia... The only way to stop her..." Amelia blanched and then started crying again. When she spoke, the doctor's voice was low and pain filled.

"...is to kill her."


	2. Chapter 2

**Targets**

Tenno were as varied as the humans they protected. Even discounting the warframes, each and every Tenno was different. Each and every singular being, whether they were Warriors or support personnel, was distinct from each and every other. Some Tenno preferred subdued colors while others made garish fashion statements that might have made the old Earth musicians named Elton John and Liberace wince and cover their eyes. Some preferred lightweight equipment, optimized for speed. Others acted more like living battering rams. Some preferred quiet, other liked loud. But in the end, each was unique and easily identified. Well, _most_ of them...

Then there was Kai.

She wore a Saryn warframe. It was mostly unadorned. No sigils, attachments or syandanas, only the emblem of a clan long vanished on one shoulder. She strove very hard to remain quiet and calm. To be cool in all situations. There was a reason. A very good reason, but it wasn't one that anyone suspected. If anyone _had_ suspected her, her life would have been short and unpleasant. She worked alone for the most part, and most Tenno were glad to let her work alone. She didn't stink or anything. But there was something about her that bothered people. Warrior and support Tenno alike...didn't like working with her. Most felt shame for feeling that. None suspected why they felt that. No one in their right mind might have realized that _she_ worked hard to inculcate a tiny sense of revulsion in each and every person that she dealt with. Because the _last_ thing she wanted was to let anyone see what she _did_ on all of those solo missions. What she stole. Who she killed. Who _paid_ her for such.

Kai was a freelance intelligence agent. A spy and assassin for hire, in other words. Perhaps the Lotus suspected. If so, the guide of the Tenno never said anything. She was reasonably sure that she had worked for the Lotus on several occasions. That did not bother her any more than working for the Grineer or Corpus did. She wasn't amoral. She had feelings, thoughts, desires. She even had a code of ethics. Of a sort. She was pragmatic but there were limits. She had nothing and no one holding her from her path. She worked to survive, nothing more. There was no patriotism, no call that she would follow. Only her own path.

Before the Collapse, she had worked for Tenno Intelligence, the shadowy information gathering organization. She that had never really been recognized. Then again, in her job, she didn't _want_ recognition. She didn't hate anyone. She wasn't even angry most of the time. Anger was for _amateurs_ and Kai was no amateur.

The Corpus facility she was infiltrating was a hard nut to crack. Multiple levels of security. These were not rank and file Crewmen either. _These_ were Corpus Special Forces. They were only deployed to the most sensitive or important of targets. She could have torn her way through fairly easily, killed most if not all of the humans in the process. But her mission was otherwise.

The Grineer had been attempting to breach the massive defenses around Neptune for quite some time without success. Despite their huge armadas and lately the Balor Fomorians, the Grineer had been stymied again and again. Then again, this planet was the headquarters of the Corpus. This planet held the center for Corpus Research and Development as well as the indoctrination temples that swelled the ranks of the fanatics. So, the Corpus defenses around Neptune were larger and more comprehensive than any other place in the Solar System.

The Grineer had discovered this very quickly. Their usual approach hadn't worked. They tried brute force. Normally, swamping an area with thousands of clones made victory a foregone conclusion. Not this time. Despite their usual success with such tactics, they had hit an automated durasteel wall over and over again. Even clones could eventually get the hint.

They had tried sneakiness, infiltrating small teams of clones to sabotage or disrupt communications and allow their fleets to close with the massive orbital fortresses that had proved such a hard nut to crack. But then said teams had run afoul of the Corpus Special Forces and to a clone, all of the teams had vanished without a trace. The queens were not amused and it ran downhill.

General Sargas Ruk was a typical Grineer in many ways. But he also had a fairly well functioning brain inside his skull. His normal tactics hadn't worked at all. Indeed, he had lost thousands of clones for no result at all as well as dozens of ships. Even a Balor Fomorian had been disabled by the massive plasma cannon and missile batteries that orbited Neptune. The Corpus repaired them faster than the Grineer could damage them! Ruk had unilaterally declared war on the Corpus, and while the Grineer queens usually did not mind such -much!- if results were immediate, results _hadn't_ been! In other places, the Grineer had advanced into Corpus territory. In some places, the Corpus had pushed the _Grineer_ out of long held positions. The situation across the system was a bloody stalemate and the Queens were not amused. Losing clones meant nothing. Losing _territory?_ That lessened the dominance of the Grineer and that would not be allowed.

That was why Kai was creeping through the Corpus facility. The mission brief had included a vial of particularly nasty nerve toxin, enough to kill every living thing on the station. Her job was to reach the main atmospheric supply point and set the vial to disperse. A cursory examination had shown there was no timer. If she had set it, it would have gone off and killed her too. She didn't need it but the implications worried Kai quite a bit. Ruk did not trust her. That stood to reason. He did not know who she was.

The Grineer had used Kai's services several times, but she had always been careful to mask her identity. She used third parties, anonymous com channels and the best anti-tracking and anti-eavesdropping equipment known. The Grineer had designated her 'NT-1247894-U'. The 'NT' stood for 'Not Trusted', but the 'U' stood for 'Useful'. If they ever discovered who and what she was, they would likely freak and try to kill her. The Corpus had designated her 'Asset B-3961' and also found her useful. She walked a tightrope of deception with both groups. It was lucrative and she managed to stay balanced between the two.

This job might just shatter that balance though. Kai hadn't known what to expect when she had infiltrated this mining facility. It wasn't part of the main Neptune defenses, but it was protected just as if it _was_. The Grineer believed it was a camouflaged Command and Control nexus. A priority target. But Kai hadn't found anything to show that. The security was tight, but she had managed to get through without being seen. Her heavily modified Shade sentinel helped a great deal. But mainly it was skill that allowed her to avoid patrols and a discreet holo emitter that allowed her to mimic Corpus personnel for a short period of time. The power supply did not last long and it could not run off her warframe power, so she used it sparingly.

The Corpus had no idea she was there. Not even the Special Forces. So why was there an itch between her shoulder blades as she headed deeper into the facility? She felt as if she was being watched. But there was no one there. Ruk wanted it intact for three reasons. For the territory gain, for the resources it produced and to show that the Grineer _could_ take targets in Neptune.

Kai stepped through another portal and froze. What met her eyes was not anything she had expected. Half a dozen children played in a small room with two adults watching them. _Unarmed_ adults! Both looked at her and she shook her head and moved to the other exit. A few of the kids looked curious, but others...? They looked at her with _fear_ in their eyes before looking away. That shook her. Hard. Her holo was intact. They couldn't know who she was. What she was. So why were they _afraid_? And what were _children_ doing on a Corpus space station in the middle of a battlezone?

She strode off, unsure. She had to find out more information. She found an out of the way room with a terminal before her cloak failed and started hacking. The security systems were particularly robust. It took Kai five minutes of careful hacking to find out the truth and when she did? She shook her head.

This wasn't a Command and Control Nexus. It was a regular mining facility but... The kids... It was also an _orphanage_! Ruk's mission would have her kill dozens of noncombatants. Ruk wouldn't care. Any non-Grineer existed to be exterminated in his eyes. But... She jerked as a voice came to her ears.

"Now you know." Kai spun, but there was no one there. She knew the voice and fear came. She moved beyond it.

"Serene." Kai said softly. Ordinarily, Tenno did not speak in the field, but _this_...? This was different. The Lotus had warned all Tenno that Serene was losing her mind. That she believed she had lost the one thing she loved unreservedly. Kai forced herself to remain calm. If Serene wanted her dead, she _was_. But Serene was talking, so... "Nice job on Franklin. Scum got what he deserved. You here for me?"

"I was." Serene's voice was calm. "You betrayed the Lotus." Kai looked at the terminal and nodded. "Why?" Was Serene about to cry?

"You will understand." Kai said softly. "This is all I am. All I remember. Whoever or whatever I was before cryo, I cannot remember her." An indrawn breath came from the unseen Banshee. "But this...? No. I cannot do this." She stepped away from the console. "Maybe the woman I was before cryo could have killed non-combatants and children. But I cannot." She slumped. "The Grineer do not care. Humans are vermin to be exterminated. The Corpus?" She shook her head. "I don't like them, but I have tried to balance my actions. Do a mission for one, then do a mission for the other."

"And stealing data from the _Lotus_?" Serene's voice turned hard.

"I didn't _know_ it was one of the Lotus' vaults, Serene." Kai's voice also turned hard. "Not until an advisory went out that one of her vaults had been breached. She doesn't _advertise_ what is hers. I thought it was just an Orokin vault. I was distressed to hear it was hers."

"Who did you sell the information to?" Serene asked.

"I didn't." Kai replied. The other was silent and Kai shook her head again. "Come on, Serene. I may be pragmatic, but there _are_ limits! As soon as I knew it was the Lotus', I gave it _back_." She had been so shaken by the experience that she had nearly apologized to the Lotus. Luckily, common sense had prevailed and she had returned it anonymously.

"I don't believe you." Serene said flatly.

"I have no power over what you believe." Kai had been scrutinizing the area. There was one small vent set on one wall. Was Serene there? She couldn't know and a mistake here would be lethal. "I want to live, but I know I have no chance against you in a fight." That ranked, but Kai knew her limits. Serene had walked alone for far longer than Kai had. Even without whatever odd tech Serene had now, she was far, far better at this than Kai was. "Will you kill me now?"

"I want to." Serene's voice was reflective. "You came here to kill everyone on the station. To kill humans for the Grineer."

"To kill _Corpus_ for the Grineer." Kai corrected the unseen huntress calmly. "Don't tell me you haven't done the same." Serene inhaled and Kai nodded. "Ever since the Gravidus Offensive kicked off, Tenno have sided with Grineer or Corpus to maintain the balance of power between the two factions."

"And you did this to maintain balance." Serene's voice dripped sarcasm.

"Personal balance." Kai agreed and Serene was silent. "For every action, there is a reaction. For every time I help the Grineer, I help the Corpus." She bowed her head. "If my sister need my life, it is hers."

"I..." Serene swallowed hard. "Go out the door. Go to the airlock and _don't_ come back. If I see you on this station again, I _will_ kill you." Something...Kai was a halfway to the door when she paused. "What?" Serene demanded.

"Serene, I am sorry." The unseen Banshee did not respond. "I have never loved as you have. But I _do_ understand loss." She hit the panel to open the door and screamed as energy pulled her in and held her tight. She could do nothing but scream inside her mind as it...erased.

* * *

"Damn you." Serene snapped as she stepped out of the shadows to stand by the frozen Saryn. "You do not have a clue! _None_ of you have a clue!"

She pulled a small device for her belt and touched it to the Saryn warframe which... opened. She started pulling the limp form inside free of it. The woman breathed. But her _energy_ , the thing that _made_ her a Tenno, was gone. Her mind, her memories, _everything_ that had made Kai who and what she was. Gone. Serene had the limp form halfway out of the dead warframe when the locked door she had trapped opened and she stared up into several weapon muzzles.

"Freeze!" The Corpus Special forces trooper said and then he curled up along with everyone else in the area. Serene's Silence field immobilized them all for a few seconds. Just long enough for her to dart back into the duct and flee.

"Stand fast!" A command came from higher as several of the troops moved to follow Serene. "Do not pursue that Tenno! That is an order!"

"Sir!" No one would dare disobey orders from that source. Special Forces Commander Horatius was not someone to take lightly. Ever.

"Lock down and get that one to our medical." Horatius said firmly. "And everyone?"

"This did _not_ happen."

* * *

 **Two hours later**

"No."

Horatius stared at the unconscious female who lay in the medical ward. The Saryn warframe had been boxed up and shifted into storage, it's records deliberately obscured to prevent higher authorities from finding it. He had a reputation of being cold hearted son of a gun. The mission always came first. But it was only a reputation. Everyone who served with him knew better.

"I am sorry, sir." The doctor in charge of the tiny Special Forces infirmary said quietly. "Every memory cluster took energy damage. She won't remember _anything_."

"She wasn't going to do it." Horatius said, stunned. "She was going to _leave_. We were watching the whole time. She saw the kids and was going to _leave_. _Why_ do this to her?" He shook his head. "This was... premeditated and _vicious_. That Tenno _killed_ this one as surely as if she pulled a _trigger_."

"I didn't think Tenno fought each other, sir." The doctor said as he checked the woman who had been Kai's vitals They were strong.

"I need to consult." Horatius said after a moment. "Is she... out of danger?"

"Physically, she is fine, sir." The doctor said quietly. "Mentally? She is a blank slate. We could use her." He offered. "We would have to retrain her in everything from childhood, but we _could_ use her."

"Not my call, doc." Horatius said firmly. "I need to get with higher on this."

 _Not_ Corpus higher.

 _I am sorry, Ma'am._ Horatius said sadly. _We were watching. You warned us she was coming and for what. But she saw the kids like you said and she was going to leave._

Very few people knew that the Special Forces did not serve the Corpus Board of Directors. Of those few, most believed that the Special Forces served the Clergy, the Corpus' guides and secret police. The number of humans who knew the truth _outside_ of Special Forces and the Clergy could be counted on one hand. And that was how operatives of the Lotus liked it.

 _This... was a low order probability._ The Lotus said just as sadly. _I felt her die. Kai is no more._

 _Her body is alive._ Horatius offered. _Her warframe is hidden. For now. We can send it._

 _That would be for the best._ The Lotus agreed. _Such a relic would cause problems if your superiors run a spot check and find it. They would ask questions that you cannot answer. Kai will be missed._

 _Her body is alive, Ma'am._ Horatius said quietly. _What do we do with it? There are none of the odd energy scans that come with normal Tenno. She is a blank slate._

 _You wish to use her?_ The Lotus sounded concerned.

 _I don't know._ Horatius admitted. _This shocked me. I didn't think Tenno killed each other._

 _Sane ones do not._ The Lotus replied and Horatius froze. _Tell your people that if they see that Tenno again, to drop their weapons. We do not think she will kill humans. She is targeting Tenno she believes guilty of crimes._

 _Oh dear._ Horatius swallowed hard. _Can we help in any way?_

 _Pray, commander._ The Lotus said sadly. _We have been in contact with the Reverend Mother and will be working with her to try and stop this before it goes further. But_ _this_ _..._ She sighed.

 _Why would the Reverend Mother be a help?_ Horatius asked. _I mean, yes. I know what she was before she was the Reverend Mother. But, frankly? None of us humans have much of chance against a Tenno in a warframe. Less against one with... mental stability issues._

 _You know who and what the Reverend Mother was._ The Lotus said softly. _She had a twin._ Horatius went still and the Lotus gave a small sob. _And that_ _twin_ _is going insane._

 _My god..._

 _Yeah._


	3. Chapter 3

**Never say Never**

"But..."

Sara was being very brave. Anyone who knew the normally feisty young Tenno knew that she was brave. Being created by the Corpus to be a lever to break her mother's will had left marks on the girl, but she continued to grow and learn. She was young, only now about to turn four years old, but her body was almost fully grown. With the help of her adoptive mother Iriana who had treated the odd ailment that the girl had been inflicted with since birth, Sara had finally been able to focus on the future instead of the now.

"Oh Sara." The Reverend Mother hadn't wanted to intrude. But everyone had insisted she be present for this virtual meeting. She stepped to where the girl was biting her lip to keep from crying and folded Sara in her arms. Sara lost her battle and started to cry, but no one minded. Truth be told? The Reverend Mother was nearly in tears herself. "I know this doesn't make any sense. _I_ was the unstable one. Not her. I could see _me_ doing this as I was. Not _her_." Sara gave a small cry and hugged the Reverend Mother tight. The Clergywoman sighed and held the crying girl as she looked at the grim assembly who had asked her to attend. "What can we do?"

"Briana and I are going over every scan we have." Iriana said quietly. She was professionally blank. The Reverend Mother understood. She always refrained from using her gifts in these meetings. It wouldn't end well. She had been Tenno, but now? She was needed by the Clergy. "But, you are right. This doesn't make any sense. Serene was angry. We all knew this. But this...?" She turned a frown to the person who had called them here and Karl nodded slowly. "What happened? I was busy with everything."

"From what we have pieced together..."Karl said quietly. "She was staying with Amelia while the doc was in stasis. We let her. Everyone knew how she felt about Amelia. We were worried about her, so we were not going to include her in the assault. She insisted." Every visible face grimaced at that. Iriana in particular was still recovering from nearly being enslaved by remnants of the past. "During it..." Karl mused. "She wasn't quite berserk, but she was at the edge. We pulled her back. When Nikis killed the Forgotten, she was..." He shook his head. "She was calm. She had calmed."

"You said she wanted to kill the last one?" The Reverend Mother asked. "Being denied such would have angered me."

"Oh, it angered her." Karl had a frown in his voice now too. "But I talked to her. She wanted vengeance. We spoke for some time and she calmed. Was that a trick?" He asked the Reverend Mother who shrugged a little.

"And how did Stalker get involved?" The Reverend Mother asked flatly. Then again, she _had_ fought the kinslayer while she was Tenno. She hated him as much as any other Tenno did.

"He rescued me." Iriana's voice was tiny. The Reverend Mother looked at the Healer and then held out a hand, Iriana smiled little forlornly and joined the hug, Sara hugging them both. "I didn't know what to think. _Don't_ know what to think. I mean..." She broke off as the Reverend Mother gave her a squeeze.

"I know." The Reverend Mother had been there in her previous persona when the identity of Iriana's mate -Mishka's father- had been revealed. "I have had to deal with twisty, tricky minds quite a bit recently. But this is worse. This is _family_ we are talking about. Serene hurt him?"

"We don't know what she did." Karl said with a sigh. "When we went to talk to her, to tell her that Amelia was going to be okay and makes sure Serene got to be there when Amelia came out of stasis, she was gone. What little information we got from Nikis said that Stalker was -and I quote- 'tortured' and not by Sun or Nikis. _They_ were letting him sweat a bit first."

"So she got to him, hurt him and then went and found a stash of his weapons..." The Reverend Mother felt ill and she could see Sara and Iriana both reacting the same. But then she paused. "There is something wrong with that."

"There is a _bunch_ wrong with that!" Sara snapped, but then she started crying again. "She wouldn't kill Tenno. She _wouldn't_!"

"Sara." The Reverend Mother's voice took on a harder cast. "What did _I_ do? When you were hurt?" Sara jerked but then nodded, manifestly against her will. The Reverend Mother did not remember that, her memories had been altered to preserve her sanity but she _had_ seen records. "She _is_ me in many ways. Yes. If a loved one was hurt or killed? Yes, I could kill. So could she." Sara wilted in the Clergywoman's hands and the Reverend Mother sighed. "Sara, we need to figure this out. If we are to have any chance of saving her..." She looked at Karl who bowed his head. "No..."

"The Elders have spoken." Karl said softly, his voice full of old pain. "She did not actually kill Franklin, but she hurt his team. She could have killed any or all of them. She did disable them and left them where the Corpus could find them. If we hadn't been in such close pursuit, it would have been far worse. As it is, Sister Nancia will need a great deal of recovery time." The Mag warframe had been devastated by Serene's Sound Quake to a far higher degree than the others. What the coherent sound had done to the body _inside_ the warframe had been ghastly. The two others with her hadn't been hurt as badly, but both _had_ been disabled. And then what the Banshee had done to _Franklin_. Sara slumped even further as Karl looked away from her. "Serene _did_ kill Kai."

Sara was shaking her head rapidly as both Iriana and the Reverend Mother held her. She was striving for control and the two women held her until she managed it.

"This may be what she wants." Sara's word had all three others stiffened. "To die?"

"I don't think so, Sara." Karl said heavily. "She ran from Aeron. She ran from the Corpus Special Forces. We don't know why she was removing Kai from her warframe, but from everything we have seen it wasn't anything good."

"Whoa." Iriana jerked and held up a hand. "She was _what?_ " The Reverend Mother sighed and spoke.

"The Special Forces had been monitoring Kai's progress through the facility." The Clergywoman said quietly. "Their orders were to let Kai see the kids. We -the Lotus and I- figured that she would see the kids and abort the operation. Kai wasn't a bad sort, just pragmatic. She could not trust anyone. It simply wasn't _in_ her to do so after all she lost."

"So why kill her?" Sara begged.

"The reason that Serene gave was that Kai stole data from an Orokin vault that belonged to the Lotus." The Reverend Mother said with a scowl. "But the Lotus knew about that. The data had been returned. So it was an excuse to do what Serene did. But not a _good_ excuse." She sighed. "When Kai touched the door panel, it had been rigged with a neural stunner with its power systems amplified." Iriana and Sara both winced. "She didn't know what hit her. I pray she never felt a thing. But then it gets weird."

"A warframe is bonded to its user." Sara said mechanically. "The..." She went still. "The _neural bonding_..." She breathed, horrified.

"Yes, Sara." The Reverend Mother said softly. "I have spoken with the Lotus and everything that happened is classified beyond secret. Only I know the particulars. The trap was destroyed when they tried to remove it from the panel. It was set to self destruct, but _only_ itself. No one was hurt besides Kai. We think that the trap severed the neural bond between Kai and her warframe. We know that it wiped her mind in the process." She shivered a little. "But as to why she would want _another_ warframe..."

"Was it the warframe or was it Kai?" Iriana asked, her face blank. "Outside of the warframe, Kai's body could have been digitized. But then that would have left the warframe... Wait..."

"Serene knows about the Special Forces." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "She knows they would have sent the warframe to the Lotus. We are, but we want to be _absolutely_ sure that there are no nasty surprises in it first. The Lotus agrees."

"So she killed Kai." Sara swallowed. She turned her tear streaked face to the Rhino. "And the Elders have decreed her death."

"Yes, Sara." Karl said softly. "Serene will die. The only question is how many other kin die with her."

* * *

 **Far across the system**

She moved like a ghost through the darkened environment. This habitat had been conquered by the Grineer and the humans within slaughtered some time ago. She was a ghost. That was her forte, to not be there. She was not here for Grineer though. She was here for different prey. Worthy prey. Deserving prey.

The Grineer were brutish and evil, no question. She detested the degenerate clones. But her hate? No. That was reserved for other beings. She knew her target's location. She could 'feel' him in her mind. His taint in her mind and to be extinguished. The...

Serene stumbled and fell to her knees. What was she _doing_? This... wasn't right! She shook herself and rose, staring about herself wildly. Where was she? This wasn't where she had been. She was... Something hit her mind with the subtlety of a nuclear weapon and she felt herself falling into a pit of blackness in her mind. She did the only thing she could, curled up into a ball to protect her mind. Let her body do what it would. But the power would not be denied. It tore around and through her, pulling her past and into darkness again.

She rose from her knees and checked her weapons. Everything was optimal. Her target was close. No! He was there!

"I did not want to do this, Serene." The Excalibur Prime stood alone and aloof on the catwalk that spanned the darkened hall. But...was he? She couldn't be sure. "Why, Serene? _Why_ did you kill Kai?" Will -the swordmaster of Karl's clan- drew his skana.

"What do _you_ care?" Serene snapped. Her bow was essentially useless against him, her knives likewise. He could parry either out of the air all day. But fighting him on his terms was stupid. "You have your love. Mine is dead."

"We have told you she is alive, Serene." The Excalibur did not move at all. "Jasmina's allies found a way to heal her. They did. She is hurt, weak and sick. She is very confused and horrified by what you are doing. But she is _alive_."

"You lie!" Serene screamed as she drew the scythe whose name echoed her inner turmoil. But she did not advance. This was... No. This was a trap. He wasn't alone. He couldn't be.

"I only lie when ordered to, Serene." The Excalibur replied evenly. "I have not been ordered to lie now. Drop your weapons and you will see Amelia again. I am ordered to kill you. But I do not wish it."

"Then you are a fool!" Serene said as she darted forward and to the side. The catwalk was narrow, precluding any fancy footwork. The scythe danced in her hands, only to be met with shining Tenno steel each time. No matter her desire, her need, indeed her _hunger_ to rend the Tenno, she could not pierce his defenses. She flipped backward out of his reach and took stock. She wasn't injured, but neither was he. "I cannot beat you like this." She admitted. "But I _will_ kill you."

"Serene." Will said softly. "Don't do this. Don't make _me_ do this."

" _I am the darkness!_ " Serene screamed as she pulled her power. But then she froze in place as he Will raised his sword and the world turned bright. She couldn't _see_! A pulse of Sonar showed Will hadn't moved from his spot.

"Light counters darkness." The voice of the Tenno swordsman hadn't moved. "Drop them, Serene! Now!" Instead of complying, Serene dropped to her hands and knees, coherent sound starting to pulse from her fingertips. She did not stop as Will shouted. "Serene!"

She just had to keep the power flowing and even the master swordsman would fall. He had no defense against...

She hit the ground hard and lay there for a moment. Pain flared in her back and side. A piece of shadow came alive in her view. A Trinity warframe holding a Burston Prime. Will's mate, Alicia from Karl's clan. And from her posture? Furious.

"Your love is not dead, Serene!" Alicia said sharply. "You are _not_ beyond help! Stand down!"

"**** you!" Serene screamed as she rolled from the catwalk into the darkness below. She felt other impacts as she keyed for a recall, too late. She was flying through the void.

She landed on her injured side and screamed in pain. But she used the pain and rage to force her body to work. She rose and strode to a medical unit nearby. She lay down in it, weapons and all. It had been rebuilt for just such occasions. She took a deep breath as the pain faded and spoke evenly.

"They will kill me now."

"Good." The dark and sinister voice that answered her would have sent shivered though any human hearing it. Green energy flared around her helmet and she relaxed as the pain in her back faded beside the pleasure in her skull. "Good girl. Your past is dust. Now? You have but one purpose."

" _NO!_ " Serene screamed as she tore herself loose from the insidious thoughts that seeped through her. " _I WILL NOT!_ " She focused her mind and shielded it. The energy that had been rewriting her emotions and mental processes bounced.

"Silly girl." The other replied evenly. "How long can you hold the shield? You are not the real Serene. You are a cheap copy."

"No?" Serene focused herself but the biofeedback technique that should have stopped her heart -killed her physical form- did not work. "Well, _you_ are an idiot."

"Ah yes, now you start with the insults. Right on time." The voice replied. "Too bad you didn't get Kai. Another would make it twice as fast. No matter. I am not the Corpus, girl. I have control of you and it is only a matter of time before I break you."

"I am not your slave!" Serene bit out through gritted teeth as the assault on her shields increased. Then it faded. "Wha-?"

"I have all the time in the universe to make you mine now." The other said quietly. "Go on, rest. I like it when they struggle." Something changed and she felt her body's rhythms start to still. She was being sedated. "Go on, sleep. You _will_ enjoy your dreams, girl. When you wake, I will have broken you."

"Never!" Serene forced herself to remain conscious. But between that _and_ her mental shields... Her body was heating now. She felt a rush of pleasure. "I... will... _not_..." The pleasure faded and pain started. She ignored it.

"Your friends want you dead. Your allies believe you mad." The voice replied calmly. "I am the only one who can help you now."

"Is that so?" Serene asked softly. The voice did not reply and she smiled a bit grimly. "You took control. Made me kill Franklin and Kai."

"It didn't take much." The other sounded almost gentle. Almost. "You wanted them dead. They are. Be happy. Your purpose will be fulfilled."

"My purpose?" Serene asked, her tone odd. "Or _yours?_ "

"In this, they are the same."The other replied. "You want justice, I can give you justice."

"No, you can't." Serene focused her mind and sent out a last ditch pulse. A cry for help. It was _answered_! She felt her mind start to fly free. The other gasped and she smiled as she felt her body to sat to fall apart. "Goodbye asshole. I hope your death takes _weeks_!"

"Serene! Stop!" The voice snapped. "You don't know what you are doing!"

"Denying you your prize." Serene said softly as her power... faded. As everything faded. Soft arms pulled her in and held her as Serene cried.

"What have I _done_?" Serene pleaded. "So angry. So... furious. Didn't think. Didn't plan. Just reacted. So _stupid_."

"You touched him. You wanted to hurt him. Use him to kill the last Forgotten as Nikis and Hayden used him to cover Tina's entry into the shut down chamber. But you are neither Nikis nor Hayden." The female voice was remote but the arms that held her were soft. "He used your anger as a vector into your mind."

"Yeah." Serene could not move. She didn't want to. "Didn't think it through. She was so still. So cold and still. I didn't... I didn't think."

"He will use your body, Serene." The other said quietly. "There is no way to stop that. Not now."

"What can I do, Janet?" Serene begged. The incredibly powerful precognitive who held her just sighed. "Anywhere I go, into _any_ virtual world, he can find me, pull me back. Use my mind and my memories to kill my friends. Amelia... She is _alive_?"

"She is alive." The arms around Serene gave her a hug. "I know a place where we can hide you. But it will not be easy. They tend to take a dim view of this kind of thing. I can ask. But no more. If they say 'no', then we have to deal with it here."

"In that case, kill me." Serene said softly. "I... Don't let me kill my friends. Please?"

"I do not want to kill anymore, Serene." Janet said sternly. "But if it comes to it, I will guide your friends to where you are. Let them handle it."

"I don't want this." Serene said sadly. "But if it is the only way to beat Stalker, then I will do it. Where...? Where will you send me?"

"Somewhere that is not real to us."


	4. Chapter 4

**Seeking Moderation**

"You are out of your mind."

Janet could not help but smile at that as the deep voice paused and then _both_ chuckled a little. She _**was**_ outside of her mind at the moment. Janet smiled widely and held up her hands of her projection in a 'who me?' gesture. The other laughed solidly at that.

"You asked for moderation of your plans, but... geez." The other voice made noise that was somewhere between a sigh, a grunt and a groan. "Oracle, you have given aid, but you ask for something we cannot do. We _cannot_ open the borders to our world. There are too many enemies who would take advantage. Who _have_ taken advantage."

Janet nodded soberly. It wasn't common knowledge that most Oracles could see far more than their own singular reality. Some could see much, much further. Janet in particular had been peering into other universes in her spare time, just to see the differences. Some were horrific. Others were marvelous. All were very different form the reality that Janet called 'hers'.

"I know." Janet was calm. She had hoped for better, but seeing the eternal war that raged in that universe was horrific in the extreme. Seeing what it cost some of the beings who fought it was worse. Her own presence was masked, hidden from detection by the enemies of the ones she was speaking with. "If we leave her here, she dies. Or worse." Both of the others she had asked to speak to tensed at that and Janet was quick to continue. "Not your problem in any way. You do not know her and barely know _me_."

"You did us a service, Oracle Janet." The one she had been speaking to said quietly. "No one will speak of what you did, here or elsewhere. The debt is acknowledged. But _we_ cannot do as you wish."

"Can you point me to someone who _can_?" Janet didn't want to beg, but if she didn't find haven for Serene's mind, it would be bad. For Serene and for everyone else.

"That might work." The speaker said slowly. "But we would need to-" She broke off as the _other_ being in the room, the one who had not yet spoken, _did_ speak.

"This female warrior -Serene- is being tortured and turned to the service of an evil that she has no wish to serve." The new speaker was... no. She was _not_ calm. She was _furious_ but she controlled it well. "We _both_ know someone that happened to. Help her." This was a command.

"I... Yes. Yes, we do. You are right." The first speaker sounded sad now and Janet felt hope flare. The other looked at her and shook her head. " _We_ cannot aid you. But we know one who might be able to send your friend elsewhere. If so, it will be _very_ different for her. She will have no powers. No abilities. Only her own self. And this is _very_ important, she can do _no_ violence except in self defense. _None_."

"She is terrified." Janet bit her lip but continued. "That is not a feeling Tenno are used to."

"Just like the other." The second speaker slumped a bit. " _We_ will not be able to help her. We will not know where she is. _You_ will be able to _reach_ her, but no one else. If she _does_ breaks the rules there, she will die. There will be no resets, no respawns. There would be a court, but no appeal."

"Is it a peaceful place?" Janet asked after a moment of thought.

"Sometimes." The second speaker said as she settled back where she had been. "It is not always a _safe_ place, but it normally peaceful. They keep it that way. The laws are strict, but fair and fairly enforced. It will take some doing, but we can make her a human body and put it in place."

"With some preparation, I think she can handle it. She is very strong willed." Janet gave herself a shake. She had been talking for quite some time. "Who I contact?"

"His name is Todd."

* * *

 **Somewhere**

Serene was not used to this feeling. She was used to being confident. For so long, she had been confident in her abilities, her skills, her general sneakiness. This... lack of control had been hers, but not. It had come from Stalker, she was fairly sure of that. But had it been _him_ talking to her in that horrid place? She wasn't sure. She couldn't know and it was driving her crazy. She had killed. She had hurt and killed kin. She was...

She snarled at herself. This insecurity wasn't _hers_. Was it? She didn't remember feeling like this before. She had been angry. So angry at what had happened to Amelia. But then... it all went red and grey. Only snatches of lucidity that faded as she focused on them. Was that intentional? She didn't know. She was no psychetech. Amelia would know. She gave a sob and forced herself to think of other things. She would see Amelia again. She had to believe that.

"Serene?" Janet's voice pulled Serene and she let it take her but... suddenly, she wasn't anywhere she knew. She was standing in what looked to be a cave. A natural cave with stalactites and stalagmites and water dripping down. She looked around and smiled. It was _beautiful_. Janet appeared beside her, the Oracle clad in white robes with a white veil covering her eyes. Serene stared down at herself and went still. What was she wearing? The human form she knew, but the clothing...? "We have a place for you to stay, Serene. But it won't be easy."

"Easy is boring." Serene patted her sides, her finger touching the _fur_ that clad her. It covered her totally, and under that, she could feel animal skin. She looked at Janet and the Oracle smiled.

"Leather." Janet patted the confused Tenno's arm. "This world doesn't have high tech. They raise animals for food and clothing." Serene stared at the Oracle and then around. "They have a complicated social structure that is _too_ complicated to go into in the time we have. You will need to fake losing your memory." Serene scoffed at that and Janet smiled. "Yeah. I know."

"So I stay here?" Serene asked softly.

"Until we can get your body back and undo whatever Stalker did to it, yes." Janet replied in the same way. "He cannot cross the boundaries between realities. I could only do it with help. But if you remain here for _too_ long, after a time, you won't think it odd. You will acclimatize. You will think _this_ is your home and anything else a _dream_." Janet bowed her head. "It was the best I could do."

"You think I will _complain_?" Serene declared as she embraced the Oracle. "Janet, my life is forfeit for what I did. Whether I was in control or not... My life is _over_."

"Not yet." Steel might have bent under Janet's calm words. "Once we figure out what happened and why, we can work on a plan to moderate the damage, maybe fix some of this. Time will work pretty much the same here as it does in our world, but Serene... Your powers won't. Your body is not the weapon that you were used to. You are not a Tenno here."

"I follow the Code." Serene's voice might have been softer, but it was no less strong than Janet's had been.

"Good." Serene stiffened as Janet seemed to swell. "Because you are forbidden violence while you are here except in the case of self defense or the defense of innocents. Do I make myself clear?"

"You do." Serene felt something settle over her. It felt... welcoming? "What?" She jerked as a human male simply appeared near one wall of the cave. He was smiling. "Who are _you_?"

"Serene, meet Todd." Janet said with a smile. " _His_ sandbox, _his_ rules. Clear?"

"Clear." Serene's tone might have let some dubiousness to her word, but Janet just nodded. "Todd." Speaking his name was both statement and query.

"Oracle Janet has told me of your problem." The human said with a frown. "In _this_ universe, this world is cut off from most of humanity. The people who came here wanted to live in peace in a less high tech society than most." He grimaced a little. "It didn't work out as they had hoped, but it has mostly worked out. Humans are humans after all, no matter where they may be from."

"And here I _am_ human." Serene said quietly. Todd and Janet both nodded. "I don't think it will work, Janet." Serene said sadly. "I know too much about too many things. I am not human. I haven't been. I am not that good an actress." The Oracle and the human shared a glance. "I don't want to die, but..."

"You are tired, Serene." Oracle Janet said as she took a step forward to take Serene's hand. "Rest."

* * *

 **Later**

She jerked awake. She had been dreaming. But now? The snowfall had encroached the small cave she had taken refuge in. A fine covering of dampness lay on her, that was what had woken her. She could not stay in this place. She made it to the cave mouth and paused. The snowfall had stopped. It was clear and bright out. The sun had fallen, but both of the moons were up and there was plenty of light. She had to get going. She had to... go somewhere? She shook her head. It wasn't clear to her, but she had to keep going. So she did.

Outside of the cave, it was cold, so cold. She started off, one foot in front of the other. It wasn't hard. She was just so cold. She pushed forward, it was all she could do. Time blurred under her steps. She could not feel her feet anymore. She could not feel her face. Her hands she shoved into her armpits and they became red hot coals goading her one. She was-

"He-llo!" A strong male voice pulled her out of her stupor and she stared up. And up. And _up_. A human sat astride some kind of huge winged creature. It's skin was a brownish color and it was looking at her with oddly intelligent eyes. The man spoke again. "What are you _doing_ so far into the Snowy Wastes, girl?"

She could swear she heard another voice. Also male. But she could not make out what it was saying.

"I..." She felt fear blossom, but it was numb. She was numb. Her brain was numb. "I don't know."

"Ah, Shard it! You are _frozen_!" The man swung down from his saddle and reached for her. She could not resist as he pulled her into his arms and then hefted her onto the... thing he had been riding. "Of all the nights for the Headwoman to send me for more ice..." Somehow, she was sitting in the saddle with him behind her. "This is going to go over _so well_ at the Weyr. What is your name, girl? I am K'len, rider of brown Drikith."

The muscles underneath her jerked. Then she was flying. Really _flying!_ The great brown wings beat once, twice and then they were gliding higher and higher.

"S...Serene..." She chattered through teeth that hurt. The arms that held her tightened as she felt her strength start to fade.

"Hold tight, Serene." K'len said firmly. "Not far to the Weyr. We are going _between_. It will be dark and cold, but I am here. Three breaths, girl! Only three breathes to help. We have got you."

Janet watched as the brown dragon with its precious cargo vanished in the teleportation that the denizens of this world called 'between' and shook her head. Of all the realities she might have expected to be directed too, _this_ had _not_ been on the list.

"She will be fine." Her companion said with a smile. "Mom loves helping people, always has. K'len has a bit of a reputation, but he is not a bad sort. Few dragonriders _are_."

"I will be by to check up on her every so often." Janet didn't want to leave Serene here. But the girl _was_ in good hands. "And I will have to stay for dinner when I do."

"I would be insulted if you didn't. So would _Mom_. Just be prepared to eat a lot. She loves to cook." Todd said with a smile. Janet bowed to him formally and he returned it. Then she returned to her body. Janet smiled at her attendants and nodded as they looked at her expectantly. Then she sobered.

"Now the _fun_ part..."

* * *

 **A virtual environment, Warframe universe**

" _ **Shut up!**_ "

Nikis' thunderous bellow silenced the entire hall. The room that Janet had asked several people to come to had filled quickly so she had expanded it as others had been summoned. The anger in the room hurt Janet, a lot. Mental disciplines fed off one another. Her empathy, despite frantic barriers and shields, had kicked in full bore and she had been one step removed from tears before Nikis had shouted. She had tried to hide the pain that so much emotion had dealt her, but her mate had keen eyes.

"Everybody, shut up and _stay_ that way." Nikis' voice was calm and cold and more than one of the Tenno who had come shied away from him. "Janet? You were saying?"

"It was Serene, but it _wasn't_." Janet tried to remain focused. "Her body, yes. Her mind, sort of. But not in total control of herself." A pin dropping might have sounded like an artillery shell going off in the silence that fell. "I heard her call for help. She was trying to die. He wouldn't let her." She bowed her head. "He was programming her. She screamed for help and I grabbed her. He hurt her. Very badly." All of the Tenno present looked at each other.

"Janet...No offense is meant, but..." Elder Raven spoke slowly and carefully. Not a bad idea with Nikis on edge. "We only have your word for that." Nikis bristled, but Janet just nodded.

"I know." The Oracle said with a sigh. "And what is worse? I had to sequester her mind fairly thoroughly. Any normal place, she could-" She broke off and a sound came from her that was more enraged grizzly bear than human. Her hand came up and energy flew from it to hit one wall. Or, the red and black form that had been concealed by one wall. Everyone raised weapons, but Janet shook her head. "A sending. Not really him." She spoke to Stalker, her tone hard. "You won't find her."

"She is mine." The dark voice gave a grunt as Janet raised her hand and energy lifted the not-quite-a-warframe off the ground, squeezing it tighter and tighter. "You will not-" He broke off and screamed as her power flared.

" _You_ are an idiot." Janet tone might have frozen interstellar space. She shook her head and spoke quietly. "Nikis? If you would."

"You are doing fine." Nikis said with a shrug, but then he drew a pistol and fire offhand. The red and black warframe turned to mist and vanished. "Let us know if he pops back in. The feedback is survivable."

"I cannot trace him while I am here." Janet grimaced. "But I will when I get back. For now? We need to deal with Serene. He will use her body. Either as a trap or a key."

"Most secure places have already been warned to change access protocols on the fear that she was going mad. This is _worse_." Karl mused. Then again, the clan leader had to think about such things. "Are you _sure_ it wasn't her?"

"I cannot be totally sure. She was screaming and crying, Karl." Janet's tone wasn't very respectful, but she was a bit upset still. "She told me what she did. After I calmed her down a bit, I _saw_ what she did. She tried to subvert Stalker to kill the last of the Forgotten. Instead, _he_ subverted _her_. The anger at Franklin and Kai was hers, but not _all_ hers. He twisted her mind in knots. He lost control a few times, but the rest of the time? She didn't know which way was _up_." Karl shook his head and Janet nodded. "I know you need more than my word. I will help as I can. It could be a trick, we all know how sneaky she can be. But, my honest opinion? It is not a trick."

"You are asking an awful lot of us, Janet." Nikis' voice was odd. Not quite calm, but close. "She has already killed two and injured three more." Janet just looked at him and he shrugged. "She didn't pull the trigger on Franklin, but she killed him just as sure as if she _had_."

"All I am asking is that you look into this." Janet said reasonably. "Her mind is safe and sequestered where it is. She doesn't remember who she is or what she is and she is not in our reality." At _that_ , everyone stared at her and _Janet_ shrugged. "Anywhere that her mind could be sequestered here, he could find her. So? I asked for moderation from a neutral party. It was granted. She is safe."

Nikis started laughing quietly as all of the other Tenno stared from Janet to one another. Janet just stood quiet.

"Oh, Janet... our _own_ rules not enough to break?" The gunfighter chortled. "Now you gotta break other universes' rules too?" Janet shook her head, but she was smiling.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Karen from Karl's clan asked slowly. She wore a Marine uniform instead of her warframe. "We cannot find him. We have tried."

" _This_ time you have an Oracle _and_ the Corpus Clergy working on it too." Janet's smile was more predator than friendly. But then it turned worried. "If he accessed her mind and I believe he _did_..." An indrawn breath circled the room. "Then he knows about _everything_ she did. Which is _almost_ everything currently happening. Avalon. Me. The Clergy. He can do a _lot_ of damage."

"Oh dear." Karen swallowed hard and other Tenno who were in robes instead of warframes were pale. "So what do we do?"

"We find him, get Serene's body back and kill him for sure this time."


	5. Chapter 5

**Burdens**

"Amelia."

The voice was stern but Amelia Priosa did not stop what she was doing. She focused on the information that she had. She was sure that she could just about- She jerked as an armored hand entered her vision and turned her monitor off!

"Hey!" The chair ridden doctor snarled as she looked up to see the clean leader standing behind her. She froze. He still wore his customary white armored Rhino warframe and his posture was not amused. He was blurred. Or her eyes wouldn't focus. She shook her head, but they stubbornly refused to focus.

"Amelia." Karl said calmly. "This is your rest period. You are supposed to be _resting_. Not going over paltry scan data until you cannot see your screen. You have been up and working too long."

"I have to do _something_." Amelia protested. "You all are hunting. I have to _do_ something!"

"Amelia." The huge warframe knelt down so his head was on level with hers. "You _are_ doing something. You are _healing_." He took both of her hands in his huge right one and held them as she trembled. He shook his head and his voice was still calm, but held regret now. "I should have done this some time ago. You are going to see Sara."

"I..." Amelia stared at the Rhino and then at her darkened viewscreen. She had saved all of the data, but as Karl said, it wasn't much. Just a few scans that Aeron, Will and Alicia had gotten. Most of those had been physical data. She was a mental technician but she had nothing to be a technician _with_. "I am obsessing." She said in a tiny voice. Karl nodded and Amelia continued in the same small voice. "Even... Even if we find her. Get her back. It won't be the same." He shook his head. "When we get her back..." She was careful to say 'when' not 'if'. "...will they kill her?" She begged.

"I don't know, Amelia." Karl said simply. "I just don't know. The evidence is damning and all we have is Janet's word that Serene wasn't in control of herself. Admittedly, the Oracle has no reason to lie that I know of." His tone was scrupulously fair.

"She would." Amelia slumped in her chair, her strength fading. "If she felt she had to, she would." She gave the Rhino's hand a squeeze. "But I... I just wanted to do something. I _am_ obsessing." She repeated. Her eyes started to burn. "I know I am, but... _Karl_..."

"Oh, Amelia." Karl reached out to hold her gently as she started to cry. "I know." He knew how much she loved Serene. He was careful and not just because he was far stronger than her even without his warframe. She was very fragile still. She had been hit nine times by bullets and the _only_ reason she had survived had been the bullets' payload had been intended to put her body into stasis. Admittedly, she had tried to fight and had waited a bit too long to flee. Amelia hugged the Rhino as tight as she could, which wasn't very. Karl held her as she cried. She didn't mind. She knew that _he_ loved Serene too, in his own way. But he was also a clan leader and took his responsibility to his clan very serious. So it wasn't long at all before he spoke again. "Don't push too far, Amelia. You still have a lot of healing to do. Jasmina and her allies saved your life, but there are limits to even our medical technology."

"Mostly my _body's_ limits." Amelia let the Rhino go and sat back, dashing her tears away with the sleeve of her patient gown. "The human body was not built to be take such stresses. I need time to recover between healing sessions. That I am alive at all is a miracle."

She stared down that the life support and mobility chair that encompassed her lower body and could not restrain a shiver. It had been way too close.

"A miracle named _Kori_." Karl said with a snort as he rose, but he held onto her hand. Amelia smiled and nodded. The Kubrow had saved her life, pulling her onto a portal platform and activating it somehow. No one knew exactly how Kori had done it, control consoles of that type were not set up for claws. Frankly? No one cared. Kori had been badly hurt as well, but she mended far, far faster than Amelia was. Of course, it helped that Kori was in a warframe whereas Amelia wasn't. And that was hardly the only odd thing about the being named Kori. Oh no. "And actually... I came back with a request."

Amelia had been about to comment on the Kubrow, but she paused and looked at Karl. "A request?"

"Kori is out with the rest, hunting." Karl said softly. Amelia grimaced, but nodded. The Elder's decree was firm. Until and unless they could capture Serene and determine her mental state -a task that would not be easy, if possible at all- she was still on the 'Shoot on Sight' list. "Karen and Miguel have gone to do Marine stuff. Brianna has her research project. Everyone else is out and about. I wonder... would you mind doing something for me?"

"What?" Amelia asked. This conversation was not going the way she had anticipated.

"Jimmy needs help." Karl said quietly. Amelia went still and the Rhino nodded. "His systems are failing."

Jimmy was a cyborg. His name had been James when he had been human. He and his little sister had met Karl during the Sentient War. They had found Karl badly hurt and worked to help him recover. Neither had known was Tenno were. Not had they cared. Karl's brother Nicholas had taken offense to Karl liking people that he didn't control. His killing of most of the humans on Ceres had been his first open act of rebellion against the establishment. Karl had through Jimmy dead along with everyone else, but the boy hadn't -quite- been dead. Cora -the clan medic- had recovered the boy's body and started to work on healing him in secret. But then she had fled when Karl had called on the clan to surrender and Jimmy had been left to expire when is life support stopped.

Fortunately or _un_ fortunately, depending on one's point of view, that hadn't happened. Nicholas had found the boy, still alive in the medical ward. He had needed a dedicated medic. So he had used the boy's flesh to _make_ one. Jimmy was approximately 20% organic now. After Karl killed his brother, he took control of the dojo and found Jimmy still working in the medical ward. Needless to say, this had horrified Karl and he had offered to end Jimmy's existence. But the cyborg medic had denied that, saying that he had a purpose.

By the time Amelia had arrived at the dojo, Jimmy had fit in nicely as a nurse. He was not a doctor, but his access to the medical databanks was unparalleled. Amelia had been a bit creeped out by him at first but she had come to depend on him. Alicia was in overall charge as a Tenno medic. Brianna was sort of a prisoner and sort of not, but a very good general practitioner as well as stellar class mental health professional. Amelia had always been better at lab work and research, but her skill set was also mental health. Having two top flight psychetechs on staff was probably the only thing that had kept some of Karl's clan from falling completely apart. Or worse. No one in the clan cared that Amelia and Brianna were not Tenno. They had earned their places.

But Jimmy...

"Oh." Amelia swallowed hard. "Sensei, I am not a technician. What can I do?"

"We have a tech team coming." Karl wave that concern away. "But I need you to keep an eye on them. Sara is with them along with a guard."

Amelia nodded. Sara would not go _anywhere_ without a guard. After the last time she had been in Corpus hands, it had been determined by several sources that lots of resources amongst the fanatics had been earmarked to 'acquire' the girl for study. Mishka -Healer Iriana's daughter and Sara's adopted sister- had actually been kidnapped by people who had been targeting _Sara_. It hadn't been Sara's fault, but the girl had been despondent for a while even before Mishka had been injured. After Mishka lost her leg, Sara had been devastated. It had taken everyone -including Mishka!- some time to get Sara to smile again. But now? Sara was protected and she would be for the rest of her life. Or until the Tenno could find a way to get the Corpus to back off on their attempts to snatch her.

"I will do what I can." Amelia said softly. "I am obsessing. I need something else to do." Karl nodded. "So, what exactly do you want me to do?"

"The team is Sheila and Abigail." Karl said dryly and Amelia froze. "Yeah."

"I...see." Amelia said flatly and she did.

Abigail had started out in the Corpus. A fairly sleazy executive and a fake debt later, she had turned to computer hacking to supplement her income. When Corpus Internal Security had discovered her crimes, they had been on the way to capture, interrogate and then execute her so she had run. She had wound up with the Corpus Special Forces, who despite her youth had taken her in and started training her. But then things had gotten weird for her. She had managed to tap into powers that few humans could. The Special Forces had done their best, but they hadn't been ready to help Abigail learn what to do. Add to that, Abigail wouldn't have been able to hide what she could do for much longer and it got dicey. She had asked for help and it had been granted. But the methods... She had been kidnapped, her body altered and she had wound up with two other minds inside hers. The minds had gone away and the docs had not reversed the body alterations at her request. She had the perfect disguise. Every one of the ones looking for her was looking for a blonde haired 15 year old. Abigail had dark hair and her body looked in its early 20s. It was a wonder she was sane after everything, but every test and scan said she was.

Sheila was almost worse. She was a MOA. And not just any MOA, a Command and Control MOA. The initial design had come from the twisted mind of Alad V before he had gone completely off the deep end and started _playing_ with Infestation. The _idea_ of the C &C MOA was fairly straightforward. A coordination unit that could take any Corpus mechs it found and mesh them into a united whole. This made said mechs far more cohesive and deadly. But the _manufacture_... The initial design for the C &C MOA had used a little girl's brain as it's CPU. The being from whom the girl had been cloned had taken offense to what had been done and the Corpus were _still_ cleaning up the mess that had resulted. Sara had been intended for such a fate, but her parents -Serene and Amelia- had saved her from that. Most of the prototype that had been made had been destroyed, but not all. Ric's mate Cecelia was of the second generation of C &C MOA, but she had been rescued and eventually, she had been removed from her mechanical shell and given a human form.

Shelia was another of the prototypes that had not worked quite right. But her case was slightly different. She had been found by the Corpus clergy. They had taken her first as an intelligence asset. Evidence against Alad V and the proponents of the C&C MOA program. But eventually, she had found a place among the Clergy as a medic. She truly enjoyed helping people. She was fragile though. Being made to be a monster did that to people on occasion. Amelia had met the MOA on the relay, indeed, Sheila had been there when Amelia had woken from stasis after being shot. Mechanical the girl might be, but she had a kind heart and the willingness to do what it took to help others. She _also_ had some very scary friends. The _one_ time someone had suggested disassembling Sheila's chassis, the suggestion had been met with grisly threats and the proponent of the suggestion had fled the relay, hopefully never to return.

"So... a tech team." Amelia tried to keep the dubiousness out of her voice. "Coming here because Jimmy cannot leave the dojo."

The cyborg medic's systems were tied to the place. He literally could not leave the environs of the Tenno lair. He had been trapped in this place since Nicholas had done his 'improvements'.

"Yes." Karl said softly. "Sara had been tasked to observe what they do. Abigail and Sheila have been briefed on Jimmy. They have access to all the scans we have done. But mainly? I want them to be chaperoned." Amelia grimaced and looked at her chair and Karl shook his head. "They know you are not very mobile. Sara wanted to see you though. She hasn't selected who she wants to apprentice to yet. I thinks he wants to talk to you first."

"I don't know anything about Tenno apprenticeships." Amelia protested.

"Neither does she." Karl said with a laugh. "I think she wants to see you. See with her own eyes that you are on the mend." His voice turned serious. "This hit her hard. And..." He made a noise somewhere between a sigh and a groan. "The Reverend Mother has asked to see her. And you."

"Karl..." Amelia said slowly. "Without Serene, I cannot protect Sara if the Reverend Mother tries anything."

That hurt to say. For several reasons. First and foremost, the Reverend Mother was Corpus. Clergy, mind you, so not the ones who had hurt Amelia, Sara and Serene. But still, she worked _within_ the Corpus to keep the profit driven nutcases from destroying themselves through sheer greed. So Amelia could not trust her. Which was wrong. Because before she had been the Reverend Mother, the woman who held the rank had been Tenno. And not just any Tenno. She had been Sara's genetic donor, the source of the DNA that had been implanted inside Amelia to create Sara. Just the memories hurt, but Amelia could cope with _those_. Facing the woman who had once been Serene... _That_ she wasn't sure she could do.

"I know." Karl sounded worried too. "Nikis said he would chaperone for that." Amelia jerked up straight and Karl nodded. "No idea why."

"I thought Nikis and the other Guardians of the Dead were making sure the database was intact." Amelia said, worry creasing her face. "It was never _intended_ to be put into hibernation. But that was far kinder than simply _destroying_ it." It wasn't every day that a massive computer system housing trillions of copies of the minds of dead people went to 'standby' mode and essentially put everyone inside it to sleep.

"There were and are arguments both ways, Amelia." Karl shrugged. "I am not sure why he asked to chaperone. I think Janet might be involved too." Amelia groaned again and he patted her shoulder. "I know."

"I get that people who see the future have to be careful about what they say." Amelia said slowly. "I get that she was hurt, very badly. I get that this last attack nearly killed her and _did_ kill some of her friends. But _this_..." She slumped further in her chair.

"You slump much further and the medical systems will call an alarm." Karl warned her and she jerked upright again. "Jane will be with them as Sara's guard. If you have any problems talk to her. They know not to give her any backtalk." Amelia snorted at that. Jane was a gunfighter. If not in Nikis' class, then very good. She didn't _want_ to fight, she was just _very_ good at it.

"Okay." Amelia gave herself a shake and spun her chair away from the terminal where she had been working. "Anything else?" Karl looked at the readouts on her chair and she shook her head. "I have been monitoring my vitals."

"Have you eaten?" Karl asked and Amelia stiffened.

"Let me guess." Amelia said sourly. "Alicia told you to make sure I ate." Karl nodded and Amelia groaned. That Tenno could be a nagging nanny or mother hen on occasion. It got old. "And she told you that she would be 'upset' if I didn't eat." Karl nodded again. "I see."

"She takes her responsibilities seriously, Amelia." Karl laid a hand on Amelia's shoulder. But it twitched and Amelia started off. She was fully aware that Karl could pick her up, chair and all, and _carry_ her to the mess hall if she balked. Then again, Alicia 'upset' was not a good thing.

"You know, of all the things I had ever imagined about Tenno." Amelia said as she rolled her chair through the corridors. " _Mother Hen_ was not on the list." Karl did not respond and she shook her head. "I mean, we get the stories. We got the mythology. We saw the aftermath of raids..." She paused as Karl looked at her. "Oh, the Corpus never came out and _said_ what happened. Just 'accidents' or 'incidents' or whatever. But anyone who wanted to survive learned to read between the lines. Your kind leave large messes in their wakes. Which is a good thing." She admitted. Karl nodded and she smiled a bit forlornly as they approached the mess hall. "But I mean... _really_? Warriors who survived the _Old War_ nagging me to _eat_ and _sleep_?" She chuckled a bit sourly as Karl led her into the mess hall and a tray was led out on open table. "Who would have _thought_?"

"You of all people know that Tenno can love, Amelia." Karl said gently as she rolled up to where the tray was set. "And we will not leave you to face this alone." She paused, her hands halfway to the tray and stared at the Rhino. "Whatever happens, Amelia. You have a place here. Never forget that."

"I..." Amelia swallowed hard through a suddenly tight throat.

"Now _eat_." The Rhino stepped back and folded his arms, waiting. "I _can_ start to cluck if you want." Amelia couldn't help it. She laughed.

"Bunch of _mother hens_... _all_ of you." Amelia reached for her food even as her eyes were filling again. But this time, she wasn't as sad. She knew that was the point. Karl was protecting her as he protected all of his clan. His clan. She belonged. The crushing weight on her heart still hurt. But she wasn't alone.

It was enough.


	6. Chapter 6

**Legacy of choice**

It felt so wrong. Amelia had seen Sara in so many different moods. She had seen the girl happy, she had seen the girl sad. She had seen her daughter terrified, _brainwashed_ , angry, nervous... She had thought she had seen it all. But this...?

The Mesa warframe that had come with Sara stood nearby as Sara hugged her mom gently. But there was something wrong with the Tenno's posture. Abigail and Shelia were both subdued as well. The teenager who did not look like one and the MOA had both said hello and stepped back for Sara to greet her mother. Amelia shook her head and scrutinized the young woman who was trying to let her go now. She wouldn't let Sara go. Sara flinched under her scrutiny.

"Mom..." The young Tenno said softly. "Please let go."

"Not until you tell me what is wrong." Amelia hadn't meant it to come out so sternly, but it worked. Sara jerked, Abigail and Sheila both retreated a step. But Jane... relaxed? A glance at the Tenno and the warframe clad head gave a tiny nod that the others missed. "Sara, what is _wrong_?"

"Mom..." Sara squirmed a bit. She could have broken Amelia's hold without really trying. She was training in self defense. But she was also a remarkably obedient girl, if only with her parents. "I can't say. I promised." Whatever Amelia had expected, that hadn't been it.

"So you did not sleep with a boy and get knocked up." Amelia said with a slightly too loud sigh of relief. Sara blushed and shook her head. "Good. If you _do_ intend such, I want to know with who and when." Sara blushed brighter and Amelia grinned as the Mesa warframe quivered as if fighting laughter. Abigail coughed and Shelia stood rock still. "I _will_ check whoever you choose. Both for personality and genetic profile."

" _Mom!_ " Sara protested, her face flaming.

"Sara, I don't _care_ who you sleep with." Amelia tried to keep the pain from her voice, but from Sara's expression, she didn't quite manage. "But you need to be careful. You haven't been _experimenting_ , have you?" A quick look at the Mesa relieved her nascent fear as Jane shook her head minutely.

"How am I supposed to do that with no privacy, Mom?" Sara demanded, her face still red with embarrassment. "They won't let me do _anything!_ "

"Sara." Amelia said sternly. "They won't let you do anything that is more than likely to get you hurt or killed. If you want to sleep with someone, I don't see them stopping you as long as you are safe and choose someone gentle for your first time." Sara jerked and Amelia smiled. "Ah, so _that_ is what this is about." She said with a smile. "You want my _permission_ or something?" Sara should have combusted and burned down to her toes as red as she got, but Amelia just hugged her gently. Now, Amelia's voice turned sad. "There is so much I didn't get the chance to teach you, Sara. You need to learn as much as you can. That is one of many things I could not teach you."

"You did the best you could, Mom." Sara protested, hugging Amelia again and a little harder.

"Yeah I did." Amelia agreed. 'It was a horrible situation and we did not deserve what the Corpus did to us. But we survived." She gave Sara a shake. "If you choose to do this, my only advice is pick someone you can trust. Someone who makes you feel good. And for what it is worth, you have my permission." Sara's face was study as she fought to keep from crying, but then the emotion vanished from her face and Amelia tried not to sigh. Sara always did that when she was fighting her emotions the hardest. "But that is not all. I can guess. You don't want to tell me. But I know you, Sara." Sara would not meet her eyes. " _So_ , you promised someone that you would not speak of what that someone asked to anyone but me. I can guess who told you that and why. When did Serene want to talk to me?"

Sara jerked away from Amelia's grip, easily breaking free and retreating two steps, only to pause as Jane took hold of her arm and held her. She wasn't going to break a _warframe's_ grip. "I... No. Jane. No. Don't!"

"Sara." Jane spoke for the first time and the gunfighter's tone was soothing ."Be calm." Abigail and Sheila both looked scared but Amelia waved at them.

"Be at ease, both of you." Amelia stretched her neck, the muscles had been getting sore. "I am not stupid. If he wanted Serene, then of _course_ he would want _me_ too. If he can subvert her so easily then _I_ don't have a chance. She and I are linked. A slave medic or psychetech would be a powerful tool for him."

"Mom..." Sara's control broke and she was crying. "No." She stepped forward, Jane walking with her, and hugged Amelia tight enough to hurt. Amelia did not react. "I lost Ma. Not _you too_!"

"Oh, Sara." Amelia hugged her daughter back. "Come on, all of you. We have work to do. We will talk of harsh things after work is done." Sara swallowed hard and nodded. Duty first.

 _Then_ family.

* * *

 **Ten minutes later**

In some ways, it was fascinating. In others, it was beyond macabre. Jimmy had acknowledged the team's presence and then he had gone into standby mode. Seeing the human looking torso attached to a box on crawler treads was bad enough. Seeing the light in his eyes simply fade as he _turned himself off_ was worse. But then, Abigail and Sara had both opened access panels and the really rough part started. He was not human, not even close. His face looked human, but it wasn't.

Sara was head down in machinery, talking quietly to Abigail as Shelia observed. Jane stood by the door. Amelia sat in her chair, watching.

"She told us as soon as it happened." Jane's voice was pitched to only reach Amelia's ears. "The oath Serene made her swear said 'I will not tell those who hunt my Ma that Ma contacted me'. She was under full time surveillance. She never said who it was, but from the context and the fact that she was _bawling_..." Jane took a deep breath. "It was easy to figure out. We still monitor her for nightmares even if she hasn't had them in a while." Amelia smiled at that and Jane nodded. "She is recovering. She cannot lose you."

"I don't want to die either." Amelia said dryly as Jane snickered. Then she sobered. "Or whatever living hell that scum wants for me. Do we know how he did it?"

"No." Jane admitted. "We had no surveillance on him while Serene was there. She spoofed the vid feeds. From what little evidence she left, we are reasonably sure she touched him. Such a touch can enable mind to mind communication." Amelia nodded and Jane scoffed. "Sorry, forgot who I was talking to."

"It is all right, Jane." Amelia kept her voice quiet. "I am out of sorts. How is Sara doing? Really?"

"Not so good." Jane's voice was painfully neutral. "Lis is out of it. We won't let her wake. If she discovers what has happened, nothing will keep her in the pod."

Amelia nodded. The Tenno named Lis had been gravely wounded protecting Sara. She had bonded to a warframe while injured. Warframes maintained the body within in perfect equilibrium and if the body came in damaged, then damaged it _remained_. It had taken some time and not a little arguing to get Lis to allow others to remove her from the warframe and put her in an ICU pod to heal. In the end, Lis loved Sara. She had started as a servant to the first Serene and her family, but the relationship had grown far stronger than that. If she heard what had happened to the latest Serene... Oh, it would not be pretty.

"And Sara won't let anyone else in. The chance of _more_ pain is too much for her." Amelia's words were not a question but Jane shook her head anyway. "Not even Jenni?" The former Reverend Mother of the Clergy -minus her memories of the last four hundred years and all knowledge of having _been_ the Reverend Mother- had taken Sara and Sara's infant brother Rocky in as her own. It wasn't easy.

"Jenni has been trying, but Sara just closed up when Serene vanished." Jane said softly. "Then one morning, she went to the Guard, sobbing." Jane shook her head. "She never gave names, but it was easy to figure out. Serene came to her in her dreams, comforted her. But the thing is...she asked Sara to get you to talk. And yes, it is a trap. Has to be."

"I agree." Amelia said soberly. "But... what else can we do? I assume the Tenno are having as little luck finding Serene's body as they did finding Stalker?" Jane growled and Amelia had her answer. "Unless she wants to be found, she won't be." She paused. "I wonder..."

"We cannot lose you." Jane said firmly. "No one will allow it."

"Jane, I am _one_ hurt woman." Amelia said reasonably. "Sara does not lack for protection. She does not lack for _love._ She cannot see it but it is there." Jane shook her head again, but Amelia spoke even softer. "This will hurt, but I need to know. Tell me true, Jane Talona, Warrior of the Tenno. If you had a chance, _any_ chance at _all_ , to get your husband _back_... what would you do?" Jane jerked and for a long moment she was silent. When she did speak, old pain sounded in her voice. Amelia held out a hand and Jane took it in a gentle grasp.

"Anything." Jane admitted. "What do you need?"

"I need to talk to Sheila alone."

* * *

 **Five minutes later**

"You asked for my help?" Shelia sounded uncertain as Amelia guided her chair into her quarters the MOA following. "You were supposed to stay with the group."

"I was." Amelia agreed as she initiated the 'rest' protocol and the chair slowly unfolded so she could lever herself out of it and into her bed. Sleeping in the chair was not restful. She lay back and relaxed as the plumbing attached itself to the bed systems automatically. "Karl knew. I know he did. We don't have a lot of time before he or someone else looks at the surveillance feeds. Sheila, come here." The MOA did not move "Please?" She begged. The MOA took a step and then another, multiple scanners coming out to check Amelia's body. "I do need your help, Sheila. I do not want to do this. Most of my mind is screaming at me not to. But I must." The MOA froze in place.

"Doctor Amelia." Sheila said softly. "You do not know what you are saying."

"I need help." Amelia admitted. "Help the Tenno cannot give me. They will try, but it is not in their makeup. Iriana comes the closest of any Tenno I have ever met, but none of them can do what I need." She took a deep breath and slowly, so slowly reached for a compartment beside the bed. Shelia gave a startled squeak as Amelia brought out a syringe and injected herself with it.

"What have you _done_?" Sheila demanded. "That substance... No..." Her voice turned terrified. " _Doctor!_ "

"Of... my... own... free... will..." Amelia lay her head back to her pillow and relaxed as her mind... reached out. It wasn't telepathy, although some called it that. She had injected herself with a highly secret and highly dangerous mixture of chemicals and nanotechnology. She had spent a great deal of time working out how to do it. The idea had been to find a way to _counter_ it. But now? She needed it.

 _No!_ Shelia's voice screamed in Amelia's head. She could hear the MOA, feel the girl trapped in the machine's fear and pain. _**REVEREND MOTHER!**_ The MOA screamed louder as she stepped closer to Amelia.

"I... choose..." Amelia felt her body's rhythms slow, but they were not stopping. They were altering, just a little. "...to join you..."

 _ **Amelia!**_ The Reverend Mother of the Clergy sounded terrified. No one would blame her. _What have you_ _ **done**_ _?_ She demanded.

 _Help?_ Amelia felt calm descend on her. Whatever happened now, she was committed.

 _Amelia, what have you_ _ **done**_ _?_ The Reverend Mother begged. _Have you taken complete leave of your_ _ **senses**_ _? It cannot be_ _ **undone!**_

 _I know._ Amelia could hear the music start. It was... just as others had described. Heavenly. _Help. Please._

 _You..._ The Reverend Mother was crying. So was Sheila.

Amelia didn't like hearing them cry. She had to... She wanted to... But it was so hard to stay awake. She felt lassitude sweeping her away and she let it.

Warm arms, multiple sets, surrounded Amelia as she woke. The Reverend Mother was crying. Nikis was cursing softly. Sheila was praying. Sara was sobbing. This had to be virtual or...something.

"I am sorry." Amelia said softly. "But I do know what I have to do."

"Mom!" Sara said fiercely as small arms hugged her tight. " _Why_?" She demanded.

"He fights Tenno, Sara." Amelia tried to open her eyes and could not. She was so weak. "That is what he does. What he knows. Their strengths and weaknesses. But there are other strengths and I need them now? Reverend Mother? Will you hear my confession? It has been many years since my last confession."

"Amelia!" The Reverend Mother sounded shocked.

"I have failed my family." Amelia continued as if she hadn't heard. "I have failed my friends. I have failed my lover."

"That is not _true!_ " Sara exclaimed, but someone hushed her.

"Amelia." The Reverend Mother's voice had turned speculative. "You were Orthodox?" It wasn't common, but some colonies of humans still practiced ancient religions.

"Before the Corpus, yes." Amelia did not like remembering those days. It had not been fun at all, intentionally. She had gone to school to get away from the pervading atmosphere of the colony where she had grown up. In school, she had gone another way and never looked back. But the earliest memories were still there.

"Oh Amelia..." Warm arms lifted her up and hefted her easily. "Janet has a place. A little stroll and a soft place to lie down. This will hurt you. We do it carefully for a _reason_." A few steps and Amelia felt softness underneath her. "We cannot undo it, Amelia. It is for life."

"I know." Amelia tried to sit up and could not. "I should... be kneeling."

"Posture doesn't matter. Your intent and your wish to confess are all that matter." The Reverend Mother said gently. "But if it makes you feel better..." Amelia was suddenly on her knees on a hard surface. It felt... right. She clasped her hands in front of herself.

"Bless me mother, for I have sinned." Amelia said through teary eyes. This would not be fun, but she needed it. And once she did this? Then the hard part would begin. She knew what she had to do, but no one would like this any more than she did.

She just hoped she could persuade them. More than her life rode on this.

* * *

 **The next day**

She had done it. She had finally shed all of her hangers on. It had taken a lot of words and a lot of angst, but she had managed. Sara was probably _still_ crying, but Jane and Jasmina had her in hand. The Caretaker has swept in, angry beyond belief, but she had finally acknowledged Amelia's plan as possible, if crazy. The others...? Karl's Tenno hadn't said a word. That hurt, a lot. But she understood. She had betrayed their trust. The Clergy were with her, in her mind. They watched, wary, fearful for her as she moved her chair to the guarded doorway. Both Tenno at the door barred her way. The two warframes -an Excalibur and a Frost she didn't know- crossed their polearms to bar her passage. She kept moving, not speaking to either. _She_ didn't have to.

"Stand down." Nikis' voice was wrong. She had heard him angry. She had heard him furious. She had heard him sorrowful. But this... This was all of those and none. "She is authorized." Neither moved and Nikis snarled. "Don't make me hurt you brats."

"Grandmaster Nikis..." One of the Tenno said softly. "She cannot. We know what she intends and we cannot allow it. She is human, we _protect_ humans!"

"That we do." Nikis allowed. "But she made her choice. Damn stubborn females. Tenno _or_ humans, the lot of them are _bad news!_ " Amelia was almost to the door and neither of the polearms had shifted. They looked very sharp. "Come on, boys. Move." He said sadly. "She _will_ roll right through your blades."

"Grandmaster..." The Excalibur begged as Amelia rolled up to where his Orthos hung. "We... No..." She reached up with her right hand and shoved the blade aside, blood instantly started falling from her hand. "Doctor Amelia!" He begged. "Don't!"

"You have your duty." Amelia said softly. "I have mine." There was just enough space between the two warframes that she could get the chair through. She moved the other polearm blade with her left hand, it too starting to bleed. "For what it is worth, Tenno. You do your ancestors _proud_."

"Doctor..." The Excalibur begged, but she was past him. The door opened and she was inside before he could finish whatever he was trying to say.

Inside, the room was bare. Nothing shone except the red and black warframe like thing that lay on the floor by one wall. Amelia moved her chair to it and slowly levered herself out of it. Part of her plan that _everyone_ had objected to had been force healing her body, but she knew her limits. If she tried to do this while injured, it would drive her mad. She was still weak, but she was whole.

"I am ready." She said as she lay down beside Stalker's form.

Darkness grabbed hold as the warframe enclosed her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Ick**

Amelia was ready for pain. She had been told how much bonding to a warframe hurt. But none came. She had been ready for the warframe to hurt her as it molded her body to its shape. But her body didn't hurt either. Indeed, suddenly, she felt _good_. Minor aches and pains left over from the rapid healing vanished as if they had never been.

 _This isn't right._ She was not really expecting a response and froze as she got one.

 _None of what has happened is right._ A soft voice. Male. Neither young nor old. She tried to see and couldn't. She tried to move, to speak. She couldn't. _Don't struggle. It won't help and_ _can_ _hurt. You...do not feel right. Who_ _are_ _you?_

 _You don't know?_ Amelia asked, dumbfounded.

 _If I_ _knew_ _, would I be_ _asking_ _?_ The other voice was snide now. _Geez, the_ _other_ _one was crazy enough. Now I get a_ _comedian_ _. What it_ _is_ _with you fake Tenno females?_

 _I am not Tenno, fake or otherwise._ Amelia said quietly. The sudden silence was deafening. _What other?_ She asked calmly. She felt scrutiny, but avoided it.

 _You...are human?_ Was that _fear_ in the other's mental tone? _What are you_ _doing_ _?_

 _You are about the_ _ninth_ _person to ask me that. Why the hell should_ _I_ _know what I am doing when no one_ _else_ _does? I am making this up as I go._ Amelia replied evenly. She could feel a tinge of amusement from deep in her mind, but it faded. The other did not notice it. _Go ahead._ She said quietly. _Do whatever you are going to do. You won't get Sara. My name is Amelia._

 _Amelia._ The other sounded stunned then it turned pleased. _The other said you were dead._

 _Things change._ Amelia felt more intense scrutiny on her from all around her. _Go ahead. You know you want to._ She snapped.

 _You are human._ The male sounding mind sounded somewhat unsure now. That faded. _Not Tenno._

 _So?_ She put every ounce of derision she had ever heard from Sara in her tone and it seemed to work. The other made a confused noise. _You know you are not getting out of here without a hostage. You know it._ _I_ _know it. You took Serene. You hurt her. I don't know how. To get Sara to come and talk to you. So you could take her hostage. She won't come. No one will let her. I did instead._

 _The other wanted revenge._ The other mind sounded concerned now. _I gave it to her._

 _And the fact that she kills Tenno is a bonus, less for you to do!_ Amelia snapped. _Lazy good for nothing-_ Her words cut off as something surrounded her. It felt... slick?

 _This is not what was intended, but it will serve._ The other said as the slickness pervaded every millimeter of Amelia's body. The bodysuit she wore did nothing to stop it. It oozed around and through her. It went places that would have had her scream in protest if she had been able. She wasn't. It went into her ears, down her nostrils. She gagged as it forced its way down her throat, but could not resist as it had its way with her. Then it stopped. _There. Sleep doctor. You will feel better when you wake._

Amelia fought the compulsion that seeped through her, but a tingle from deep, deep inside her mind had her relaxing. Succumbing to the lethargy. The music was still there. It was still beautiful. She took that wonderful sound into slumber with her.

* * *

 _Everyone_ watched in horror as the red and black warframe...shifted. Sara, Jasmina, Karl, Iriana, Sheila, Abigail, Vina... All who had come when Amelia had called watched in dismay. It had rolled on top of Amelia and engulfed her. Now? Where the male form had been, a _female_ form in red and black lay. Sara was crying as the warframe slowly rose to its feet. Jasmina held her as the red and black warframe started for the door. Said door opened to show three Tenno with weapons ready. The two guards and the black Nekros.

 _Will you kill her then?_ The dark and sinister _male_ voice asked from the female looking form. Sara jerked, but Jasmina just held her. _Typical. Protecting humans is passé now._

"I _will_ find you." Nikis might have been discussing the weather as he stepped aside. The two other guards stepped away as well, weapons still ready. "Sooner or later I _will_ find you and destroy you. You got away before. But- What? _No_!" Nikis declared as the air shimmered and a white armored form lunged at the red and black one.

No one dared to _breathe_ as Sun charged Stalker and the Tenno interrogator swung his ornate Bo staff in a bone crushing arc. Somehow the red and black warframe avoided the attack and danced back, it's hands up in a guard stance as Sun moved in.

 _Go ahead, Interrogator First Class! Kill her!_ The male voice from the female warframe said smugly. _Give in to your hate and follow my path! If you dare!_

The Loki Prime did not reply, instead he attacked. More than one of the watchers inhaled in awe as the ancient Tenno warrior blurred into motion, his staff arcing in ways that were both beautiful and deadly. The watchers grimaced as the red and black warframe took hit after hit, there was no way for it to defend itself. The dark voice was laughing but stopped as a pistol roared. Sun stared at the haft of his staff, which showed where a bullet had glanced off. It hadn't damaged the super hard metal, just left a mark. He did not take his eyes from the red and black form he hated.

"Sun." Nikis' voice was low and dangerous. " _Stop_. Ancestors know, I _agree_ with your assessment. I want him dead too. But _that_ isn't _him_. He took her hostage. You know this."

 _Kill her, Interrogator!_ The voice of Stalker mocked. _Kill her and be damned!_

The Loki Prime stared at the red and black form for a moment. Then he straightened slowly. He took his right hand from his weapon, raised it to his neck and drew it across flat. An age old symbol of death coming. Then, like a wisp of _nightmare_ , the interrogator was gone.

 _Weak._ Stalker mocked, only to pause as Nikis' pistol roared again. The warframe's right hand clamped to its left arm where a red hole oozed.

"That won't kill her. As for Sun? Maybe he _is_." Nikis' tone might have given a Sand Skate goosebumps. It certainly gave everyone listening the _shivers_. "But _you_ are a _moron_. _And_ a _coward_. Was this your plan all along? A _hostage_?" He spat.

 _Iriana needed help._ The other replied as the suit's right hand came down. The hole was no longer bleeding and sealed itself as everyone watched. _This one is in no danger from_ _me_ _._

" _ **Right**_." Nikis could drip sarcasm out of even a single syllable. " _Sure_ , she is not. Pull the other one, asshole."

 _I am leaving now. You will not pursue._ The red and black for started forward, but neither of the Tenno in the way moved. _Or is the vaunted Tenno honor worthless now?_

"Honorable tactics are for honorable foes." Nikis said offhand, his pistol still aimed. "Not cowardly backstabbers who run from _real_ fights." He shook his head. "Boys?" The Excalibur and Frost who had been guarding the door stepped aside, but not much. "You have the advantage here, kinslayer. For now. But you will extend too far. You know it. _I_ know it. I just hope Sun is the one who cuts off your arm and _feeds_ it to you when you _do_."

 _Your threats are meaningless to me, old man._ Stalker retorted as the warframe stepped past the frozen Tenno. _I will have vengeance and you cannot stop me._

"No?" Nikis inquired, still aiming. "Well then, get on with it. Why haven't you bothered to take me to task for any of the ones you deem worth avenging, hmmm?" He asked nastily. "Oh, never mind. Every time you show up around me, you get your _butt_ kicked. But of _course_ , you don't care about all the times I clean your clock. Because you are _invincible_!" Nikis deliberately mispronounced the word with a horrid accent of some kind, slurring the 'v' until it was more a 'w'.

 _You are not one of the ones I seek._ Stalker replied from the warframe as it stepped off. Nikis kept pace. The others stayed where they were for a moment and then followed, weapons ready. _I have no call to hunt you._

"Yeah, yeah..." Nikis sounded _bored_ now. "Tell yourself whatever makes you happy, moron. Sooner or later, Sun or I _will_ find you. The _real_ you, not the doppelgangers you keep throwing away. For what you do to my kin, I _will_ kill you. For what you did to _Iriana?_ " Stalker went still as Nikis' voice turned hard. "I _will_ make it _slow_. Long time ago, Mag taught me a cool trick with ants and a _knife_. I _bet_ I can still find some ants." The malevolence in his words had several of the listeners paling.

 _We will meet again, Guardian of the Dead._ Stalker replied. _But at a time and place of my choosing. You are not invincible._

"Neither are you." Nikis holstered his pistol. "Go on, teleport away. Scat. Now."

 _So you track me. Try to find my base of operations._ Stalker replied offhand, looking around. Besides Nikis and the two Tenno who had been guarding the door, nothing else was in evidence. _Or the Interrogator does._

"Oh, we know you are based on a ship." Nikis said offhand. Stalker froze and Nikis laughed. "Probably an Orbiter. We even have a good idea of _where_ it is. But we know better than to look in the Void." Stalker turned to look at the Tenno gunfighter and Nikis was leaning against the wall as if _bored_. "You would love us to, to lose people trying to find a needle in a dimensional haystack. Not gonna happen. Get lost, you sorry excuse for pond scum. Now."

 _You do not command me._ Stalker snapped.

"No." Nikis agreed. "But in about ten seconds I am gonna start counting down." He shook his head. "Amelia will forgive me if she wakes up with holes in her. But you? You don't care about her except as a hostage. Will you kill her as soon as you are free?"

 _I am not_ _you_. Stalker retorted.

"No." Nikis said softly. "No, you are not. If you were, you would know better than to do what you have. Sara is out of your reach. One Mississippi... Two Mississippi..." His hands were on his pistols as Stalker knelt in the middle of the floor.

 _We will meet again, Guardian._ Stalker promised. _At a time and place of_ _my_ _choosing._

Nikis ignored him, continuing to count. He drew each pistol slowly and carefully as he counted, reloading each by touch. The faceplate of his Shroud helmet was on Stalker as the kinslayer keyed for a recall.

"Bring it on, jerkoff." Was the last thing Stalker heard as the Void took him.

* * *

 **Later**

Amelia woke to comfort. She was warm, dry and clean. But she...wasn't where she had been. She cracked her eyes and froze. The male form that stood nearby nodded to her.

"Good morning, doctor." The red and black warframe looked as it had on the floor of the detention cell. "Did you rest well?"

Amelia did not move, did not speak. Her eyes flitted her and there. The room was large but it was odd. It wasn't Tenno architecture. But it was. It wasn't Orokin architecture. But it was. Part of it was filled with machinery she did not know and the red and black warframe stood in front of the machinery. She and Stalker seemed to be alone. She stared down at herself and went still.

The clothing she wore -if you could call it that- barely covered her for modesty purposes. Essentially, she wore a white wrap around her upper torso and another around her waist. She was not strapped down, but instead was lying in something that was glowing blue. She was half submerged in an odd looking viscous substance that she could not quite make out the colors of. Red? Dark brown? She couldn't tell. Whatever it was, it wasn't wet. She felt dry. She tried to move and could, but just barely. She could see tubes attached to her arms, her legs. She could feel a tube down her nose. She could see the edges of a mask over her mouth, feel tubes going down her throat.

"I had wondered at the plan you had. Because you had to have one." Stalker said softly. "I assumed Sara would be the one to get in. She was the one that that was postulated as the best chance to get her mom back. Not you." The red and black warframe shook his head. "Then again, there was no way you would let Sara do that. In hindsight, that is perfectly clear." Amelia did not speak and Stalker shook his head. "Doctor, the trackers have been neutralized. There is no need to be rude." Amelia made a sour noise in her throat and closed her eyes. The kinslayer made a soft noise of dismay. "You don't understand, doctor. I will not harm you. I was not going to harm _Sara_." Amelia scoffed into the tube and Stalker made a noise that was half groan, half sigh. He turned back to the machinery. "This will not hurt."

Amelia tensed as...something engulfed her skull. It didn't hurt. Indeed, it didn't feel wrong at all. But it was. She cracked her eyes, but could not see whatever it was. Pressure mounted, but it didn't hurt. It felt odd, as if parts of her skull were suddenly not there? The she tried to scream as whatever she was lying on suddenly surged up and around her. The feeling was...

She went still. She was being _comforted_! Whatever was around her was holding her gently, like some kind of arms.

"And... now." Stalker said softly. Amelia felt the world start to fall away and fought it. She did not want to go into any virtual world _he_ created. "Doctor, no." Stalker said softly as something happened and her resistance faded. She wanted to fight. She was trying to fight, but she couldn't. "You cannot resist that. Indeed, you won't want to when you hear what she has to say. What we have to say. Relax doctor. It won't hurt." He repeated.

Amelia fought it anyway. She could not trust him. She would not. She jerked as a hand touched her. Her eyes slid open despite the fluid stuff and she screamed as she saw Serene standing over her. But it wasn't Serene. The face she knew so well was blank and an odd metal thing covered much of Serene's skull. At least it wasn't silver.

"What are you doing?" Stalker demanded. "I told you! She won't understand! Go back! Go back now! Before... No!" Amelia could see lights starting to flash as the red and brown thing that had engulfed her suddenly was shimmering gold and white. "Doctor, be calm! I am trying to _help!_ "

 _Liar._ Amelia screamed in her mind. But...

"That's it." Stalker said as something invaded Amelia's right ear, then her left. "Patterns calibrated. Go!" He commanded and the form of Amelia's love vanished. "We have you, doctor. Just relax. We will not harm you."

 _No..._ Amelia tried to scream. Tried to cry. Tried to fight as tides of soft colors burst into her mind and swept her away. But then it stopped.

"What the hell?" Stalker's confused voice came from far away. "What _is_ this? You are not Tenno, so how the hell are you resisting?"

 _ **She is not yours!**_ The voice of the Reverend Mother burst into Amelia's mind. The human doctor had never thought to be glad of another mind in hers, but she was. _**We will not let you subvert her.**_

"What did you do, you crazy human?" Stalker demanded, angry now. "I am not _trying_ to subvert her, you dumb Clergy bitch! I am trying to _help_ her!" Static burst in Amelia's mind, but the Clergy fought back, holding Amelia as pain erupted inside her head, soothing it away.

 _ **Without her consent!**_ The Reverend Mother was beyond angry now. _**You are not better than an Orokin!**_

"I need her." Stalker said savagely. "I will use her. The question is how much are you willing to hurt her."

 _ **She begged our aid.**_ The Reverend Mother said sternly. _**You? You would have hurt Sara this way? You are DEAD!**_

"You don't understand and I have neither the time nor the desire to explain it all to you." Stalker snapped right back. "But for what it is worth? No. I would _not_ have hurt Sara. _You_ will make me hurt Amelia."

Pain slammed through Amelia and despite her skill and training, despite the Clergy's help, she was slammed instantly into darkness.

* * *

 _Clergy._ Stalker stared at the woman in the now golden and white pod that was filled with clear fluid. _She went to the_ _ **Clergy**_ _! What is she?_ _ **Nuts**_ _?_

 _No._ Another voice said softly. _She was desperate. You do strange things for those you love. Isn't that right?_ Stalker turned to another pod that lay against one wall nearby and bowed his head. A young woman lay within the pod, her body covered as Amelia's had been. She was missing her right leg. Same tubes, same icky thing around her. _They will track her. They will track_ _me_ _. Snatching me in transit was a_ _bad_ _idea. You angered everyone._ _Again_ _._

 _You were not going to heal without drastic measures._ Stalker said softly. _I can heal the damage._

 _Correction._ The other snapped. _You can_ _try_ _to heal the damage._

 _I am trying to make things right for Iriana._ Stalker said softly as he turned back to where Amelia lay silent. He manipulated controls. _Rest now._

 _You have a funny definition of_ _right,_ _father._ Mishka -Iriana's daughter- said with a snarl worthy of an Infested. She spoke again as her voice faded, her mind dropping into sleep patterns. _I won't help you._

 _I don't need your help._ Stalker agreed. _You need mine._


	8. Chapter 8

**Dreams of darkness, dreams of peace**

Doctor Amelia Priosa jerked awake, her body moving in trained reflex as she started to slide out of her chair. Her hands hit the table in front of her a little too hard, but there was no one else in the tiny break room to see her face flush in embarrassment as she stopped herself from falling out of her chair oh her butt. Wouldn't be the first time she dozed off in a break room.

"Nodding off..." She murmured. "Shift has gone way too long."

She gave herself shake and picked up her caf. She took a sip and then another. The beverage was too strong, leaving an odd taste in her mouth, but it had the desired effect. Her head cleared. She looked down at the datapad that she had been perusing and shook her head. She didn't see any way forward but surgery. The situation was dire, the young woman whose scans she had been given was in big trouble. The brain alteration was troubling, but Amelia was up to fixing that. It was the leg that really, really bothered her.

The girl's medical records were vague on _how_ she lost her leg. The amputation had been well done and there didn't seem to be any complications from that. But there was something _growing_ inside the remnants of her right femur. Something awful. A form of cancer was what the lab had finally managed to identify. It wasn't anything that they had seen before, but they had been both quick and thorough. A first in Amelia's experience. Whatever it was, it was not responding to any treatments. It was as if the bone marrow itself had been altered in some way to consume itself and replicate. Yes, very much like a cancer, just not anything in any records that Amelia had been able to peruse. Also hard to detect.

Surgery was really the only recourse here. Remove the damaged parts and replace them with healthy parts clone from other parts of the body. That should work. But Amelia wasn't a trained surgeon. She _could_ do it, sure. But she was a mental tech, not a surgeon by trade. And if she messed this up...

Amelia shook her head as she scanned the rest of the data on her patient. The alteration inside the girl's head smacked of brainwashing to the doctor. That bothered her on any number of levels. She had...

Amelia paused. Was she about to nod off again? Maybe they should put the girl in stasis, send her to better care? If Amelia could not focus, she was far more a danger to the girl than the cancer was. She gave herself a savage shake and focused again. The leg was the important part here. The rest could keep. A note said that stasis had been tried. Somehow the cancer ignored stasis protocols, continued to grow even as the girl's body had been placed in a transport pod, which had triggered alarms and sent her up to 'Emergency' where she had landed in Amelia's lap. That wasn't possible. Was it?

"Doctor Amelia?"

Amelia jerked, she had been dozing again! She looked up at the nurse that was on shift currently. She tried, but could not remember the man's name. He looked worried.

"Are you all right?" He stepped close. She saw his name badge read 'Kat'.

"I don't know." Amelia admitted. "Long shift." She couldn't even remember when she had come on shift. That was never a good sign.

"Yeah it has been." The nurse gave along sigh, but smiled encouragingly. "You okay?"

"Whether I am or not, that girl needs help." Amelia said with tired shrug. She took another sip of the caf and it revitalized her. "I feel strange. How long until shift change?"

"Three hours." The nurse looked worried. "She can probably wait that long, if you are not feeling up to it." Amelia stiffened at the other's tone. Was he questioning her competence?

"I can do it." Amelia said sharply. "It is not like I am actually going to be holding scalpels. Supervising the drone can be done while seated. A couple more cups of caf and I should be okay for an hour or two. But that girl doesn't _have_ an hour or two."

At the rate the cancer was growing, it would start to expand into her bones in an hour at most. If that happened? She would be lucky to survive.

"And her head?" The nurse asked as Amelia took another swig of the caf. It tasted even worse this time and she grimaced.

"Priorities, Nurse Kat." Amelia was calming now. She knew what to do."Save her life, _then_ fix the brainwashing." She went still as the nurse did. "What?"

"Doctor, she wasn't brainwashed." The nurse said delicately. "There is an abnormal mass inside her skull that needs to be removed." Amelia froze and stared down at the datapad. Indeed, it showed a growth inside the girl's head. It was in line with one of the ear canals, easy to reach, but... She recognized it! That was the same kind of organ she had scanned in Mishka the last time the girl had been by for scans. It was something to do with being a Caretaker, so after being politely but firmly rebuffed for asking, Amelia had ignored it. Mishka had been... Wait... _Mishka_. The girl she was supposed to treat was _Mishka! Healer Iriana's_ _daughter_ _!_

Shock rang through her, but it wasn't just hers! Someone _else_ was in her mind! Someone gentle? She could barely feel the other, but it was there. She could not hear words but feelings of worry and fear were clear.

"This isn't right." Amelia said softly. She stared at herself. She was wearing a familiar uniform. _Very_ familiar. It had been the uniform of the hospital she had worked at before she had been taken by the Corpus and met Serene. Before Sara. She hadn't worn that uniform in years. She was- "This... isn't..."

She was unconscious before her head hit the table.

* * *

"Damn." Stalker sighed as the holographic environment vanished. Amelia lay in her pod, her form encased by the symbiote that was would keep her calm, keep her clean and provide sustenance for as long as she remained in it. Fewer tubes now, but still many to provide her body with nutrients that the symbiote could not. And allow access for drugs. "Six tries and she wakes to it each time. You Clergy are really beginning to piss me off."

 _We will not let you harm her. Or Mishka_ _using_ _her._ The Reverend Mother's mind voice was softer through the drugs and suppressants that Amelia had been dosed with, but it was still there despite everything Stalker could do.

"I am trying to _save_ Mishka, you dumb Clergy bitch!" Stalker snapped, patience exhausted. "Iriana has lost enough already." He looked away from his machinery for a moment. "I won't let your stupidity cost her the _one_ thing she can love unreservedly. And to a _cancer_? No." Cancers had been eradicate by the Orokin, but without access to the ultra tech _of_ Orokin... Survival of such was rare even for Tenno. Mishka might or might not be able to shift bodies if hers was damaged enough. Cancers had odd effects on Tenno energy at times and Mishka was very weak.

 _If what you say is true, then you could have told someone._ The disbelief in the nun's voice was patent.

"Who would believe me?" Stalker snapped. "That all of their scans and tests didn't show a _cancer_ growing in Mishka's leg?"

 _They would have checked._ The nun's voice turned stern now. _You know they would have._

"And they wouldn't have _found_ anything." Stalker snarled. "They would have chalked it up to a random act of cruelty on my part, to make her suffer through the tests. Then she would _die_. _I_ am lost, but _she is my daughter!_ " The other did not seem to have a response to that. "No, I will not let her die simply because no one will trust anything I say."

 _And of course, that is the only reason._ The Reverend Mother said sternly. _Lie to yourself as you wish, but do not lie to me and expect me to remain silent. That girl is special. Not for who her parents are, but for_ _who she is_ _._

"On _that_ , at least, we can agree." Stalker said with a scowl. "Up the dose forty milliunits." He commanded and one of the tubes running into Amelia's body through the symbiote around her darkened briefly. Her body jerked as the powerful psychic suppressant took hold.

 _You will kill her._ The Reverend Mother's voice was softer now, and sounded so sad. _She knew it._

" _You_ are making me do this!" Stalker retorted angrily. "All I want is for Amelia to remove the cancer. Nothing more."

 _Right._ The Reverend Mother's tone could have dried up a river. _So you cut her off from the people helping her stay sane, drug her enough so she cannot see straight and then what? Come to her rescue?_ She clucked in amusement. _Old._

"Get _out_ of her head!" Stalker said firmly as he twisted a control. Amelia's body jerked and the symbiote spasmed with her, drawing her pain away, holding her gently. There was no response, but he knew he did not have a lot of time. "New simulation. Hospital simulation three. This time, suppress her memory further back. The caf should help keep her conscious memory sequestered long enough to start the operation at least."

He resolutely did not look to the other pod where Mishka slept fitfully. At the scans of the red that suffused the remnants of her right leg. He didn't need to. He knew death when he saw it.

* * *

" _Mishka_?"

The name was breathed in horror. Everyone in the room felt the same way Jesse felt faint and only Draco's firm grip on her arm kept her upright. He was better. He had only been out of the machine for a day or so, but everything showed her was much better. Jesse was glad.

"We had to sedate Iriana when we told her." Elenia's posture was abject. Then again, the Caretakers of the Unclean had liked Mishka even before the girl had joined them. Elenia had picked out the girl's name within the mindmass herself. 'Gentle Songs.' "No one knew he could snatch people in mid-portal transit."

"It is possible." Jesse said after a moment's thought. "But oh my _god_ , it would be _hard_. And the _power_ required..." She grimaced. "He had to have a ship though. And it would have to be in the right place at the right time."

"That he managed through Serene somehow." Draco said into the silence that fell. "He subverted her when she touched him and, then she was free to do things while no one suspected." His hands were on his sword hilts and no one blamed him. He still wore his camouflage even though everyone knew he wore a Volt Prime warframe. It was what he did. What he was.

"Jesse, we need your help." Elenia wasn't -quite- begging. "We cannot track her. He has blocked our communication."

"Oh my god..." Rachel sounded like Jesse felt. Then again, the designated leader of the few Tenno who remained in the Citadel of the First had access to all kinds of information mere mortals did not. "Can she survive?"

Honest question. When Elenia had been cut off from her kind temporarily some time back, the shock had been too much and she had died. She had been recovered, due to heroic efforts on the parts of several people and was now the same as she had been. But it had been far too close. Especially when _Nikis_ had gotten involved. The ancient curmudgeon Nekros gunfighter _angry_ was _not_ something for the faint of heart. Everyone relaxed as Elenia nodded.

"She hasn't been with us that long." The Mag said with a shrug. "We are more worried about what _else_ he plans to do to her. Because he won't just have that as a plan. His mind is a pit of snakes." The disgust in her tone could have filled at least four refuse cans.

Jesse looked at Rachel and Draco. Neither moved and she nodded slowly.

"What do you need?" The young Cyberlancer asked calmly.

"I am not sure." Elenia actually started to _pace_. "I don't know the modern tech and code is a black art to me. The others seem to think you can help, but I don't..." She broke off as Jesse took a step and laid a hand on her arm. "Jesse."

"Elenia." Jesse said formally. "My duty here is done." She nodded formally to Rachel who nodded back. Sweeping _every square centimeter_ of the Citadel for potential hostile nanites had been a pain in the butt. It had been needed, but she had hadn't had a lot of time off. One reason the staff had been very glad to see Draco out and about had been to slow Jesse down long enough to eat, sleep and use the facilities. She forgot that occasionally while working on code. "When do we leave?"

"I..." Elenia swallowed hard and then she made a sound like a choked off cry. "Jesse... I..." Jesse did not speak again, just stepped forward to enfold the now crying Mag in an embrace.

"What happened is not your fault, Elenia." Jesse said firmly. "But you blame yourself. I bet most of the mass mind does too." Elenia jerked, but did not reply and Jesse smiled. "So, where? The relay?"

"Jasmina has a ship." Elenia said weakly. "I am sorry. I am sorry." She said quickly as Jesse hugged her again. "This is so wrong. Mishka is a good soul. A very good soul. We need your help anyway, Cyberlancer Jesse. But this makes things urgent."

"Yes it does." Jesse gave the Mag one final hug before releasing her and stepping beck. "So, the Relay first. And then a ship. Will I need to be unconscious for that?" She could feel Draco's sudden tenseness behind her. She spoke calmly but firmly. "I will _not_ breach the Caretaker's security." This was both a statement _and_ a command.

"Noted." Draco said formally. "Under protest."

"Noted." Jesse replied just as formally. Some things just had to be formal and when your bodyguard was not happy about things, it was best to pay attention. There were times though, when circumstances conspired to make her bodyguard's life difficult. She dearly hoped this would _not_ be one of those times.

"Ah, no." Elenia had a smile in her voice but it faded. "There is one thing, Jesse. You do not wear a warframe and you will be around our charges a lot. So you will need protection. Draco is good, but he cannot shoot or slice a virus."

"Technocyte Virus versus Draco...?" Jesse said with an impish grin. "I would bet on _Draco_." Something suspiciously like a snicker came from both Rachel and Elenia. Draco just stood and Jesse shook her head. "Better not to take foolish chances. One of the biosuits like you human friends wear?"

"Yes."Elenia relaxed a bit as it became clear that neither Jesse nor Draco was going to protest. "Healer was at Iriana's tower, but will meet us at the Relay."

"Please tell me Healer is escorted." Jesse felt fear. Healer was kind and gentle, a complete pacifist. It would not fight back if attacked. Many Tenno had...difficulty seeing the huge Infested as anything but an enemy. Understandably.

"Oh yes." Elenia stretched a bit. "Jasmina is with her."

"Then who is minding _your_ people?" Jesse asked, paling. Elenia shook her head and Jesse paused. "Or is that a secret?"

"No. Not a secret." Elenia sounded pleased now. "We had an application. An odd one, but he came recommended."

"Oh?" Jesse asked. "Can I inquire?"

"Guardsman Janas _royally_ ticked off the Empress." Elenia said with a sigh. "And us. And Karl's clan. And a lot of other people. But from what we gather, he did mean well. He wasn't the best at managing what he wanted and hurt Lisa in the process." Jesse winced at that and Elenia nodded. "Yeah, I don't know what Nikis said to him."

"Don't _want_ to know." Jesse, Rachel and Draco all chorused. They looked at each other and Jesse stifled a snicker. Then again, it wasn't really a laughing matter. Lisa was bearing a child as surrogate. And not just _any_ child. Nikis' _grandchild_ by Jasmina and Dust, his slain son. If _anything_ happened to that young woman _or_ that kid... 'Hell coming to breakfast' was _not_ a euphemism when Nikis was involved. It was _literal truth_.

Tenno Janas was lucky to be _alive_.

"True." Elenia agreed "Anyway. Janas was doing his penance and asked if he could do it with _us_." She shook her head. "He isn't a bad sort." Jesse looked at her and Elenia shook her head. "And get that look off your face, Miss Cyberlancer. No. Not my type." Jesse did not move and Elenia heaved a long suffering sigh. "He is doing penance and we _are_ keeping an eye on him."

"Fair enough." Jesse gave herself a shake and turned to Rachel. She bowed formally to the Saryn Prime. "Do I have your leave to go, Tenno Rachel?"

"You have been a breath of fresh air here, Tenno Jesse." Rachel said as she stepped forward to bow to Jesse. "We have been alone too long. Your presence and your assistance have both been greatly appreciated. Count this as a refuge if you ever need one. Go in peace, come in peace. Sister."

"Thank you sister." Jesse said with a smile as she rose from her bow. She turned to Elenia and nodded. "So now I go to the Relay and get barfed on?" Everything stopped as Draco froze.

"Wait a minute!" Draco demanded. " _Barfed on?_ "

 _Oops._ Jesse thought to herself as the bodyguard moved to bar her way.

 _I really need to learn to keep my big mouth shut..._


	9. Chapter 9

**Stalks**

This was not good. Not at all. Draco was _not_ happy and his tension sang around him like a full choir with orchestral accompaniment might have. It didn't help that Elenia hadn't intervened at all either. She led the way, but she didn't interfere while Draco was muttering. Jesse knew it was on purpose that his tone was low enough that Elenia wouldn't hear or understand, but he knew that Jesse would. Her auditory apparatus had been upgraded by her code along with her other senses.

It had taken almost ninety minutes of arguing with him before he had allowed her to go with Elenia. Rachel had vanished during said argument. Wise of the Saryn. Essentially, the argument boiled down to the fact that _Jesse_ trusted the Caretakers and Draco didn't trust _anyone_. The very _idea_ of his protectee _willingly_ and _knowingly_ allowing an Infested Ancient to touch her boggled his mind. And not just _touch_ her! Indeed to essentially _vomit_ a substance all over her to form a pod that would create the biosuit that Jesse needed to remain uninfected while around masses of the Technocyte Virus just _did not fit_ into his worldview. He was not happy.

The guards at the Relay were _also_ not happy. Draco exuded fear as one of his primary weapons. There wasn't anything they could do about the bodyguard Tenno though and that made the situation even more tense. So Jesse was trying her hardest to lighten it a bit. Now if only Draco would cooperate.

"It's not like I am going to be in _danger_ , Draco. You know that." Jesse fought to keep the whine from her tone. It wouldn't help matters if she started acting like a spoiled kid. It was-

She was in motion before she realize what she had heard. The cry echoed in her mind even as her body moved so fast that both Elenia and Draco were caught flatfooted. They would catch up quickly, but the cry wasn't something that normal beings could hear.

"Jesse!" Draco protested as he sped to catch up to her, but she did not slow. She did not turn, she could hear cries of pain and fear.

She came to a sudden halt as she beheld the scene on front of her. A not-quite- human form was bent over something that cried out in Jesse's mind. A familiar form! A MOA. And not just any MOA!

"Stop!" Jesse commanded as her nunchaku came to her hands, power flaring as she stepped forward. Shelia gave another cry as the Banshee warframe rose to her feet. Jesse swallowed hard as she saw red and black. This was Serene. Or...Serene's _body!_

 _"Jesse! Run!"_ Sheila begged her. "He wants us _both_!"

"Well, _he_ can kiss my _butt!_ " Jesse snapped as the Banshee scrutinized her. "He isn't taking _either_ of us." Code spun around her, solidifying shields that prevented unauthorized portals.

"Yes, I am." The male voice from the female warframe was calm and cool. "You both are needed."

"Well, you are a _moron_." Jesse retorted as Draco came around the corner. He took in the scene at a glance, drew his swords and slid in front of her. He came to his feet in a motion that was sinuous, beautiful and left _none_ of his body open to attack. That was skill. "I won't help you, kinslayer!"

"I do not have time for this." Stalker actually sounded weary. He ignored Draco to stare at Jesse. " _Mishka_ does not have time."

"What have you _done_ to my friend?" Jesse demanded. She truly liked Mishka and the other girl returned it. Draco did not move from where he stood. The Banshee warframe looked at the camouflaged Volt and seemed to shudder a bit. Was that a good sign? A bad sign? Hard to tell. "Sheila, can you move?"

"No." The MOA said sadly. "He disabled my motivators. Life support is still online, but no mobility."

"Neither of you is in danger." Stalker said softly as Elenia appeared and instantly drew a Phage shotgun, aiming at Serene's hijacked body. "Caretaker, Mishka is _dying!_ I had to do something. None of you _saw_ it!"

"Saw what?" Elenia demanded, moving to flank Jesse. "Coms are jammed. Jesse? Can you break through?"

"I can. But the instant I am distracted, he will take advantage." Jesse knew her limits. She wasn't a warrior, but Sheila needed help. The MOA wasn't a true artificial intelligence, she had an organic brain. But it didn't matter. Sheila had been a friend before the human girl named Jesselle had died and become the Tenno named Jesse.

"No, he won't." Draco said calmly, his paired swords Honor and Duty held in a cross pattern in front of him.

"Caretaker, please!" Stalker said hastily. "In this if nothing else, _please!_ Check with your healer. See what it saw in Mishka's right leg. The one where she was poisoned." The Caretaker went still as Stalker screamed. " _The poison caused a cancer!_ That poison isn't supposed to be survivable! It caused a reaction _inside_ her bone marrow. She is _dying_ , Caretaker! I _cannot_ let her die!" The Banshee warframe did not move. "She is not one of the ones I seek. Neither is Jesse." He nodded to Draco. "I want to save Mishka. _Nothing_ more."

"And _we_ cannot trust _you_." Elenia said quietly. "You kill any Tenno you gain advantage over. Why not a child? Mishka cannot fight back effectively. Why not kill her too?"

"I... know." Stalker replied heavily. "I cannot trust you and your healers cannot see the damage. It may already be too late."

"Send her back." Jesse demanded. "We will check. I swear it."

"You would." Stalker said sadly. "But the others? Sun and Nikis and all the others? They won't see what is right in front of their faces. I am lost. Mishka is not. Not yet." The male voice from the female warframe hardened. "You will come with me Cyberlancer."

"Or?" Jesse demanded as Draco tensed to spring. "Draco, stop. That is Serene's body."

"She is dead either way." Draco sounded calm. "Either we kill her or the Elders kill her after a trial. Either way, dead. That is the only penalty for slaying kin."

"This is a trap!" Sheila said into the silence. "He knew you were coming, Jesse. He knew you were escorted. He planned. Jesse, please. Run."

"Is that so?" Jesse asked, her code flaring around her. Then it hit a wall and rebounded. "Well, I guess it is." The wall -it was a sphere- was tightening around her. "Nice." She said as she examined the scintillating prison that was constricting around her. "Phased aspect quantum sphere. Mental and physical confinement mixed." From Elenia and Draco's sudden stillness, neither could see it or sense it. If not? They could not fight it or help her. It would contract around her, seal her away from the universe until he chose to free her. It would likely be gentle confinement. The interior of a quantum sphere could be as large as one wished. The outside? She had heard of them being as small as atoms. "Interesting choice though." She shook her head. "I would think an instant bludgeoning unconscious would be a better plan."

"I do not want to hurt you." Stalker said softly. "Your mother scares me."

" _That_ actually sounded honest." Jesse kept her voice mild. "Then again, considering who she is paired with currently? I wouldn't want her angry at _me_ either. Why me? Sheila I can see, she is a world class medic. But why _me_? Donor or code?" At that, Draco hissed, but did not move as the sphere closed in on Jesse.

"Code." Stalker replied through the hijacked warframe. "Your body is not brand new anymore. When it was first decanted it would have worked as a donor. But now? No. Besides. Like I say, your mom would not be happy."

"No." Jesse agreed. "It was done to me before. You were there. Did you see what Nikis nearly did?" The Banshee warframe shuddered and Jesse smiled grimly. He had. The sphere was almost to her now. She shook her head. "So, Sheila for donor." At that, the MOA gave a tiny cry of fear. "I cannot allow that. My duty is to protect artificial beings. Sheila is one even with organic parts. This is your _only_ warning, kinslayer. Leave her alone."

"I won't hurt either of-" The male voice from the female warframe cut off with a cry as Jesse raised her hands and touched the sphere contracting around her with both of them. A pulse of power flared and the sphere _popped_. " _What the_ -?"

"A nice form of prison." Jesse said quietly as energy coruscated all around her. It did nothing to her. She could feel the amusement that radiated from both Elenia and Draco as she showed her power. "And _utterly_ useless against one trained in how to _negate_ it."

The Banshee warframe looked at Jesse and bowed it's head in rueful acknowledgment.

"It is very easy to forget that Trinity trained you." Stalker said quietly. The shade of the _First_ Trinity had taken Jesse's initial training as a Cyberlancer as a personal challenge. Considering that Trinity had been both Healer _and_ Cyberlancer in life, the training Jesse had received had been...extensive even by Tenno standards. Grandmaster of Cyberlancers Olim was impressed and he was _hard_ to impress.

"Release your prisoners." Jesse said calmly as power surrounded her. The energy from the prison had to go _somewhere_. She used it to strengthen her shields, her code. She couldn't hold it long, but for a few minutes, she would be a match for _any_ warframe."Now." This was a command, not a request.

"Cyberlancer Jesse." Stalker said through the Banshee. "Mishka is _dying_. They cannot _see_ what is killing her! They cannot fix what they cannot see. I _can_."

" _That_ is neither here nor there." Jesse said flatly. " _Here_ , you are threatening one under my protection. Cease and desist or I will _make_ you." No threat that. A _promise_. Code flared from her towards Sheila. It surrounded the fallen MOA, penetrating it, binding her together. The MOA rose on unsteady feet to scamper away from the Banshee who knelt. "Sheila?"

"Intact." The girl in robot form said weakly. "Didn't hurt me, just... took control."

"If you _ever_ do that again, I will make you hurt for _decades_." Jesse promised, her tone as warm as an ice cube. "Begone!"

"I _will_ save Mishka." Stalker promised through the hijacked Banshee warframe as it started to waver. "You will not stop me."

"If what you say is true, then prove it." Jesse snapped. "But you kidnapping my friends will only serve to piss me off. And trying to take me will piss my _mom_ off."

"Your mother will understand." The red and black Banshee warframe was nearly gone now. "Mishka is my daughter." Then it was gone.

Jesse focused herself as she had been taught and let the power she held dissipate through the energy networks of the Relay. She laid a hand on Sheila's chassis and felt the MOA trembling.

"It is all right, Sheila." Jesse kept her voice comforting as the MOA leaned close. "It is going to be all right."

"He can track me." Sheila said weakly. "He can find me anywhere. That thing was in my quarters when I went for downtime! I ran, but he followed. I... I am doomed."

"No." Jesse said firmly. "Stay close. We will find away to protect you." She holstered her nunchaku. Elenia holstered her shotgun and Draco sheathed his swords. "Elenia? _Was_ Mishka sick?"

"We don't know, Jesse." Elenia sounded shaken. Who could _blame_ her? For the boogeyman of the Tenno to act this way... "She was weak. She was in pain. None of our scans showed anything. We were worried, of course. But she was upbeat."

"She would be." Jesse fought to keep her face calm as Shelia sobbed beside her. She laid an arm over the MOA and comforted her friend. "For now? All we can do is what we have been. But Shelia needs to stay close so I can protect her."

"Hmmm..." Elenia was looking at the MOA and her posture was speculative. " _How_ close?"

"This close." Jesse said firmly as she held Sheila. Draco made noise of argument and Jesse shook her head. "No. I will _not_ jeopardize her life or sanity to save mine."

"Jesse." Sheila protested. "You have _enough_ trouble! I might distract him, cause more-" She broke off as Elenia laid a hand on her housing. "Caretaker?"

"Jesse takes her duties very seriously, Sheila. We know better than to argue with her." Elenia's voice was kind, but firm. "You are coming with us."

"But... I..." Sheila started to sputter, only to stop as both Jesse and Elenia glared at her. "Okay... I know when to shut up." She said meekly.

"I wonder how long _that_ will last?" Draco muttered not even _close_ to under his breath. Jesse and Elenia both made rude gestures at him as Sheila sputtered a laugh.

"I need to report this." Sheila said as the odd group started off. "And, I guess I need to get a leave of absence."

"Detached duty assignment." Jesse corrected her. "Assisting me. Standard compensation rules. Standard benefits as amended according to your needs."

"Standard compensation?" Sheila demanded. " _Standard_?" Jesse just looked at her. "Hey! I have expenses! These MOA hulls don't grow in trees you know." Jesse looked at her harder and Sheila made a noise of consternation. "Yes, I need you. But I _also_ have a reputation to maintain." Elenia made strangled noise and Sheila made her voice turn prim. "There is always room for negotiation."

"We will talk." Jesse said firmly as Elenia snickered. "But there are limits."

" _Are_ there?" Draco asked. Jesse looked sidelong at him. "I mean, you don't seem to have any limits if you are willing to let an Infested _throw up_ on you."

"It's called 'excreting the unformed biomass needed to make the biosuit in the most efficient manner'. Not 'throwing up'." Jesse said with a glower that slid off her bodyguard's skin like water off a duck's back. She had asked for a better definition during the argument earlier. Elenia found it hilarious. Apparently, the rest of the mass mind did too.

"Yeah, right. Whatever." Draco said calmly. Jesse wanted to swat him, but she knew she likely wouldn't even hit him. "Being barfed on by any other name is still _gross."_

It didn't help that Sheila _and_ Elenia both started laughing at that.

It didn't help at _all_.

* * *

"Stupid muck brained fake Tenno!" Stalker was beyond angry as the Banshee warframe reappeared in his hideaway. He moved it to the station he had built for it and it lay down. It's systems would repair and recharge while he did other things. He shrugged his shoulders as his usual warframe powered up, only to pause as a voice sounded.

"Didn't go well, huh?" He spun to see Amelia's eyes open. They were unfocused, those eyes. But they were open and looking at him. This was not the Reverend Mother. This was the doctor.

"No." Stalker felt regret stir. It was rare he felt such. But what he had to do now? Yes. He regretted it. "You have friends who care a great deal for you. You have a daughter, doctor. What would you do to save her life?"

"You cannot keep the Clergy out." Amelia said softly not that she could speak louder. The mask over her nose and mouth was needed. Her body was very weak form all of the drugs he had tried to cut her off from her controllers. Fear shone in her eyes though. She couldn't fight or flee.

"No." Stalker admitted. He walked to a vault set in one wall and shook his head as he keyed it open. "I wanted to do this the easy way. To let you decide to help Mishka. That is all I wanted. To save her. But you are too tough for your own good."

"I learned to stop the brainwashing." Amelia admitted. "But mainly it was Sun's interrogation that made me realize how far I could really be pushed." At that, Stalker spun to stare at her. "You didn't know? I broke down. He got me back."

"No." Stalker couldn't believe his ears. "You _willing_ went into his clutches?"

"No." Amelia admitted. "Had a breakdown. Needed help. Serene made him help me." Stalker jerked and she smiled under the mask. But then the smile faded. "You drugged me."

"What I am going to do will hurt less with the drugs, doctor." Stalker turned back to the vault, reaching in to key something else. "I need your skill. I need your dedication to saving lives. Iriana would be better at this, but she is busy. And none of the other fake Tenno can be trusted." He pulled something that gleamed wetly silver from the vault.

"What is that?" Amelia sounded afraid as he turned towards her. "What are you going to do?"

"This is something I had hoped never to have to use. And I am going to do something I hoped never to have to do." Stalker said quietly as he moved towards her pod. "Skull expose." The symbiote over Amelia's skull retracted, showing her scalp shorn and red in places. The skin was deformed, as if the bone underneath it was gone.

"No..." Amelia begged as she saw clearly what was in his hands. "No. Please. Not that!"

"None of the other control methods work on you, doctor." Stalker said calmly as he stopped at her side. "Mask." Amelia was trying to scream as the mask over her nose and mouth retracted and other appeared sliding over the pod to seal around where the other had been. It gleamed metallic. "Breathe deep, doctor. It won't hurt." His voice was almost calm. Almost. She fought to keep from inhaling, but could not. She took a breath and her body relaxed against her will as the nanites in the gas she inhaled sedated her far more thoroughly than any drug. "That is it. Rest. Sleep. Do not wake to this horror."

 _ **NO!** __**AMELIA!**_ The voice of the Reverend Mother screamed in his mind as he lay the Sentient enthrallment device on the back of Amelia's head and it started it's grisly work. In a few minutes, she wouldn't have any choice but to obey him. She would save Mishka.

And then? She would die.


	10. Chapter 10

**Altered States**

It _had_ to be only minutes, but it felt like an eternity. The pain was fading as her mind was pushed back, further and further into her brain.

Amelia was screaming. She could feel others in her mind screaming with her, trying to help as the machine overwrote her basic consciousness. Her memory it would leave intact, she knew. She knew more about Sentient tech than most, having been part of Karl's clan for some time. The records of what he had found when he had assumed command of his former clans dojo after their destruction had been both exhaustive and horrifying.

She tried to subdivide her mind as she had heard was possible. Let the machine take control of only part of it. Janet -the Oracle- had done something similar during the hunt for the Elena Greensky. But Amelia had only heard about it, she had never actually _done_ it. It didn't work. She was still losing ground. She pleaded in her mind.

 _Cut me out!_ _Subdivide me!_ Amelia screamed. _If he gains access to all of you, everything we have worked for is gone!_

 _That doesn't work with Sentient tech, Amelia._ The Reverend Mother sounded strained. What was she _doing?_ _We can...keep you... separate a bit. But we cannot block you out completely. That would kill you._

 _Then do it._ Amelia begged. _I cannot... He will take control use me to hurt Mishka, to hurt everyone!_

 _No, he won't._ That _wasn't_ the Reverend Mother. That was-

Amelia went still as the pain her head...vanished. _Janet?_ She asked as her mind fell free.

 _Oh, Amelia. Come here._ The Oracle was crying as the world fell away.

Amelia was lying on her back. Her head was on something soft that moved under her. Soft hands caressed her scalp. She was crying as whoever held her crooned softly.

"Oh Amelia." Janet was crying softly too. "I am sorry. I didn't see this. Mishka was doing so well, I didn't _look_." Something soft wiped Amelia's face clean of tears.

"Is she really dying?" Amelia felt detached now. Was _she_ dying? Being controlled? She didn't know. Couldn't know.

"Yes." Janet said sadly. "The poison the Red Veil hit her with destroyed every nerve in her leg. It also did a lot of other damage. The Clergy doctors saved her life and the Caretakers gave her a place, a new family. But no one saw the creeping death growing in her leg. No one but Stalker." Janet let out a deep breath, half sigh, half groan. "He has been keeping an eye on her, but a distant one. I tolerated it because he wasn't going to hurt her or even show himself. Not in any of the visions I saw. Until she went to the relay. He saw her there and knew somehow, instantly how sick she really was. No one else suspected. It is not something that doctors today think of."

"He _is_ trying to save his daughter." Amelia said weakly.

"Yes." Janet sounded sad now. "But it may be too late. If he had spoken up, said something, _anything_ , we would have checked. Even coming from _him_ , a warning about Mishka would have been heeded. But he could not trust. We might not have seen it. But we _might_ have and none of the rest of this would have happened."

"What I saw is bad, Janet."Amelia swallowed hard. "Her bone marrow is _changing_."

"I know." The hand was back on Amelia's brow as Amelia shuddered. "I cannot stop what he has done to you, Amelia. No one can."

"I know." Amelia said weakly. "Does he have a controller?"

"No." Janet held Amelia as a shudder wracked her. "He had the enthrallment device, but even he isn't _crazy_ enough to keep live Sentient tech around that has a mind of its _own_." Amelia relaxed, but then stiffened again. "Easy." Janet crooned.

"Without a controller..." Amelia said weakly. "It will _grow_. It will subsume me and then everything else in the area until it can make a controller! It will-" She broke off. "No. No, He will make me treat Mishka and then kill me and destroy my body."

"I think so." Janet's voice was husky.

" _Can_ I save Mishka, Janet?" Amelia asked softly. For a long moment, there was no answer. "Oracle?" She begged. "Please?"

"No." The word was flat.

"Can _anyone_?" Amelia begged. "She is a good kid. She doesn't deserve this."

"Neither do you." Janet said sharply. "What the Tenno plan to do to you is just as bad as what Stalker plans."

"Janet, I broke my parole." Amelia said in a soft voice. "What is worse? I gave the information in my mind to the Corpus. Something I swore I would never do. The penalty is death."

"You gave it to the _Clergy_." Janet corrected the doctor grimly. "And they already _knew_ how to get into the Orokin towers. _They_ just had more sense than to _try_." Amelia had to smile at Janet's dry biting humor.

"Be that as it may, Janet. I broke my word." Amelia said softly. "Karl won't have a choice." The clan leader would not delegate Amelia's execution. The only reason he hadn't killed her just after finding out what she had done was that she had been trying to get Serene back. If the Tenno caught her again, she died. Period. She forced herself to change the subject back to the first one. "Can _anyone_ save Mishka, Janet?"

"Yes." The Oracle said quietly. "But before you ask, he won't allow it. He won't trust them despite the fact that they were not involved in what he seeks vengeance for."

"Who?" Amelia asked softly. There was no answer and she suddenly felt faint, as if she were falling. Or _waking!_ "Oracle! _Who_ can save Mishka?"

"Remember the good, Amelia." Oracle said from far, far away. "Let go of the bad."

"Wait!" Amelia pleaded, but now she was falling for real.

* * *

Amelia felt her body sit up. She felt right. But not. Everything seemed in order. But she was... This wasn't right. Her eyes opened and the red and black warframe stood nearby, his posture anxious. She felt tubes retract from her. She felt the symbiote thing contract around her, a second skin almost.

"Doctor." Stalker said quietly. "Your patient awaits."

He stepped back as Amelia's body rose. She wasn't in control! But... it felt... She wasn't in control, but she wasn't afraid either. She felt _nothing_. No emotion erupted in her mind. Nothing but cold logic. That was so wrong. She was an empathic person, it was what made her a good doctor. But this? This machine that was her? No. This wasn't her.

"Status of patient?" Amelia heard her voice ask. But it wasn't _her_ voice. She had never been so cold, so unemotional in her life! That should have terrified her, made her angry or _something_. it didn't.

"Diagnostics available on secure network." Stalker said as he moved to the side and a bank of medical machinery came into view surrounding a pod exactly like the one Amelia had been in. Inside it, Mishka slept, her face drawn with lines of worry and pain. Tubes connected to her from various parts of the machinery and her symbiote was rippling around her, drawing her pain into itself, trying to help her. "Illness is cancer. Location, right leg."

"Survey proceeding." Amelia watched her hands touch the machinery, sure and quick in their movements despite the unfamiliar equipment. "Cause?"

"Three base neural antagonist pathogen." Stalker replied. "Damage to right leg irreparable. Amputation was indicated and performed. Remnants of pathogen have reacted with bone marrow, causing cancerous growth. Removal difficult."

"Removal impossible." Amelia heard her voice state calmly. "Patient is terminal. Euthanasia recommended." Amelia quailed. The thing inside her was recommending that they _kill_ Mishka!

"Negative." Stalker retorted, somehow remaining calm. "Remove." Amelia's hands flew over the controls. Why was he so calm? Why was _she?_

 _The machine cannot hear us._ The voice of the Reverend Mother said into Amelia's mind. _You cannot respond, Amelia. Don't fight._ She warned as Amelia tried to do something, _anything_. _You_ _cannot_ _fight what was done to you. That bastard. That lousy stinking kinslaying_ _bastard_ _._

"Beginning removal." Amelia heard her voice say as energy started playing over Miska's leg. "Patient is waking. Unable to sedate due to limited power."

"Damn." Stalker knelt down beside the pod. "Keep working. Mishka?" He asked gently as the girl groaned. "I know it hurts, Mishka, but we are trying to help."

"Hurts..." The girl's voice was low and filled with pain. Her eyes did not open. Indeed, from what little Amelia could see, she wasn't fully conscious.

"There is a growth in your leg, Mishka." Stalker said softly. His voice was a far cry from the dark and sinister thing that Amelia had heard before. "It is not natural and it is hurting you. We are trying to remove it."

"Hurt! Where is my mom?" Mishka's voice was slurring. "She will make it better."

"Your mom is busy, Mishka." Stalker said sadly. "I am here. It's okay, honey. It will be okay." Was he comforting her or himself? Her eyes opened and she stared up at Stalker and then at Amelia.

"Father?" Her tone was odd. Calm, but weak. So weak. "What have you done?"

"I am trying to save your life." Stalker said quietly. "I am not a healer. Not a medic. This problem is far outside even most normal medics' experience. It is drastic, but it was needed."

"Not for me." Mishka was crying as she stared at Amelia. "No. Not for me." Amelia felt her heart fall to pieces as the girl cried. "You _cannot_ kill others for _me_!"

"Mishka!" Stalker said firmly. "I would tear the entire _Solar System_ down for you or your mom!" The girl shut her eyes. "Mishka! _Listen_ to me!"

"You lie." Mishka said softly, her face going slack. Her heart rate sudden slowed. Amelia stared, she knew that sign. Mishka was committing suicide!

"No!" Stalker screamed as Mishka's biorhythms started to fade. "Mishka! Stay! Please! _Your mom needs you!_ " For along moment, Amelia feared it was too late, that the girl had gone too far. But then Mishka's rhythms stabilize a bit.

"Mom." Mishka's voice was nearly inaudible. "You hurt her again."

"I am trying to save your life." Stalker calmed a bit. "That is all that matters. Every way I have tried, the fake Tenno have thwarted. What I did to this noble doctor is unconscionable. I know this. But if there is even a remote chance to remove what is killing you, then I have to take it." Amelia's body stepped away from the machinery and Stalker looked at her. "Doctor?" Amelia's body did not respond and Stalker heaved a sigh. "Status of patient?"

"Anomalous growths removed." Amelia heard herself say.

"And?" Stalker pressed. Amelia smirked inwardly as Stalker groaned. Her body did not react. It wasn't a question the thing running her understood. "Damn. Too much control. But I had to."

" _Had_ to or _wanted_ to?" Mishka asked, her voice groggy. Stalker turned back to her and Amelia braced herself for anger. But when he spoke, it was _resigned_.

"Mishka, I am not a good man." Stalker said softly as he rubbed the pod she was encased in. "I haven't been a good man for a long, long time. I gave up who I was, what I was to seek vengeance for the Orokin."

"Why?" Mishka begged. "That makes no sense."

"I know." Stalker's voice was still mild. "I never planned on meeting your mom, on falling in love. It happened. We have to go on. I am lost, Mishka. Nothing can save me. But part of me remembers the pure uncomplicated feelings that your mother woke in me after so long. Leaving her was one of the hardest things I have had to do. But it was better for her and you. I know regret Mishka. If you believe nothing else I say, please believe that I regret not staying with your mother, not getting to know you, watch you grow the most."

"I... do not understand." Mishka said softly.

"I know." Stalker said sadly as he rubbed the pod again. "Sedate." Mishka gave a small cry and then she was asleep. "Status of patient? And prognosis?"

"Patient is stable. Abnormal growths removed." Amelia heard herself say. "They will regrow. They will require removal again. Patient is terminal. Recommend euthanasia." Stalker went still at that.

"Treatment?" Stalker demanded. "I remember something about cancer treatment. Something called Chemophotocloresis or something like that?" Again, Amelia's body did not respond and Stalker growled something vile. "Postulate that patient must survive. Treatment possibilities?"

"Chemotherapy is contraindicated with the patients current state of health. Doing so will cause irreparable harm." Amelia wasn't sure where that information was coming from. _She_ surely did not know that. "Abnormal proteins have swept through patient's body. No known means of correcting." Stalker stared at the doctor and then at the pod.

"I..." Stalker sounded broken. "No. No. Not after all of this. There _has_ to be a way!"

 _And if there is?_ Amelia went still as the Reverend Mother spoke through her. _What then?_

"Haven't you done _enough?_ " Stalker screamed.

 _No. You have_ _killed_ _Amelia._ The Reverend Mother said sternly. _The Tenno will not forgive what she did to try and get Serene's body. She_ _joined_ _us, she violated an oath, to try to save one she loved. Even if the Sentient tech can be stopped, which is not a certainty, her life is_ _forfeit_ _. She_ _knew_ _that and chose that anyway, for the_ _chance_ _to save her mate. But..._ She continued as Stalker started to snarl a rejoinder. _I_ _do_ _understand, just as my predecessor did. We do strange things for those we love._ Stalker stared from Mishka's still form to the quiescent form of the doctor and back.

"Yes, we do." Stalker sounded sad.

 _We have been ransacking our files ever since we discovered why you did what you did._ The Reverend Mother said quietly. _Amelia is lost. Mishka still has a chance. Not a great one, mind you. But a chance._

"Can I trust you?" Stalker demanded. He went still as a flash of gold appeared in the middle of the room.

Amelia stared at the five humans and two tiny warframes that stood with weapons trained on Stalker. Commander Horatius ran the Corpus Special Forces, the ultra secret and secretive special operations teams that worked for the Clergy. None of the humans carried standard weapons. One hefted a grenade launcher. Another an Amprex. Another held a Lecta whip in a professional grip. A fourth held some kind of cybernetic interface system and was tapping holographic keys faster than a human eye could follow. But it was the fifth that had Stalker freezing and Amelia quailing. The small cylinder in his hands didn't look dangerous, but every scanner in the room was flashing red. Most with radiation warnings. Nuclear.

The tiny Nyx warframe and tiny Frost warframe that stood beside him were not as bad in some ways, but worse in others. Amelia knew Ona, but the Nyx had been disgraced, doing penance for a horror done in the past. So, what was she doing _here_? With a team of _Corpus Special Forces_?

"No." Commander Horatius said as he and two of his team stepped forward, blocking the view to the hacker and the one with the nuke. "I am sure you have a self destruct in here. So blow it. Or attack and we detonate _ours_." Stalker was very good, but all it would take was a button press to turn the entire area into radioactive vapor. He could blow the room up, sure. But then...

"And of course, kill Mishka." The voice from the tiny Nyx -she barely came up to Horatius' waist- was soft.

"I do not want to." Stalker said slowly, not moving. "But I cannot trust you any more than you can trust me."

"You know who I am?" Ona asked quietly. Stalker nodded. "You know who trained me?"

"Richard." Stalker said softly. The Tenno who had been the First Rhino had trained Ona and her kin after finding them in a horrible Orokin genetic lab. He had lost his memory due to a number of factors and wound up in cryo in the Void. His death had cost Stalker a great deal both emotionally and physically. Tenno still hunted him for that death to this day and would _forever_. Tenno _defined_ single minded at times and when one of the _First_ was cut down by an assassin's blade? That assassin would _die_. Period. There hadn't been a choice and Richard had begged for it, but still...

"Master Richard and Master Nikis taught us a lot." Ona said mildly. She bore no weapon. Odd that, but then again, she _was_ one. The Frost by her side likewise was unarmed. "And you know..." She sounded thoughtful now. "The single most important thing that Master Nikis taught us was by _leaving_."

"And?" Stalker demanded.

"He didn't want us consumed by his own hate." Ona said quietly. "He succeeded. We are not. We have own demons, but we battle them." She shook her head. "You have killed Amelia. You have killed Serene. But we can save Mishka and we will." Stalker stared at her and she shook her head. "Not for you. Not so you can brainwash her or whatever. But because she is a good person who deserves better."

"I was never going to brainwash her!" Stalker protested. Ona crossed her arms and glared at him. The Frost likewise did not move. "Okay, okay..." He admitted. "If she chose, after, I _would_ have taught her what I knew. But not against her _will_!"

"You are a check on the unbridled power of the Tenno in this system." Ona was still quiet. "Which is why, as part of our penance..." She nodded to the Frost at her said and indicated herself. "We have come to help Mishka. The method that the Reverend Mother found is called a 'bone marrow transplant'. But to do so, you need compatible donors."

"Both of _us_ are compatible."


	11. Chapter 11

**Assistance**

For a long moment, there was utter silence in the room. Then it was broken by Stalker's derisive laugh.

"You..." He waved a hand at the tiny Nyx who did not move. "And _him_!" He waved at the Frost who likewise, did not move. "Are going to _help_ me?" He shook his head. "Now I have heard _everything_!"

"No." Ona retorted evenly and he froze in mid chuckle. " _You_ we could not care less about. But her?" She nodded to where Mishka lay asleep. "Her we do." She turned away from the red and black warframe to scrutinize Amelia. "Oh Amelia." She slumped a bit and then nodded to Stalker. "Donors are available. Set up for transfer?"

"And I am just supposed to _trust_ you?" Stalker demanded.

"Considering that it _could_ have been _Nikis_ and _Sun_ coming in instead of us?" Ona asked reasonably. "With all of this? I don't honestly know _who_ is angrier. If they had been able to track you as we did, you would be dead by now along with Amelia and Mishka." She shook her head. "Iriana is grieving already." At that, Stalker froze. "She thinks you killed Mishka trying to kidnap her. Her exact words to Nikis before she was sedated? 'Enough is enough. _Bury his ass_ '." Her voice turned cold. "So, say the word. Try your tricks. If you choose that, we leave. We are not here for you. We are here for her and Amelia. Couldn't care less about _you_."

"Speak for yourself." Horatius still had his Penta aimed. At this close range it was almost as dangerous to him as it was to Stalker, but he didn't seem to care. "You. _What_ **ever** the hell you are. You have hurt that girl _enough!_ " He snarled.

"You... Corpus." Stalker hadn't moved. "What is she to _you?_ "

"A little girl who we tried to help." Horatius' voice might have been calm. The same way a dragon's might be as it eyed a snack that was trying to sidle away. "Never got the chance to thank you for the present you gave us. Those Red Veil who hurt her." At that, Stalker actually jerked.

"They nearly killed her. The poison they gave her has given her cancer." Stalker said softly. "You were there?"

"Yes." Horatius did not move, his aim not wavering.

"And why are you here, _now_?" Stalker demanded.

"Because you made the Reverend Mother _angry_ and while she would much prefer to spank you for it herself, I convinced her to send us." The Corpus trooper was not calm, not even close. His fury was a cold, hard thing. "Either you treat her or we are _taking_ her to treatment. You are _not_ going to keep her." The tiny Nyx winced at that. The Frost did not move.

"Commander." Ona sounded sad. "We are here to help Mishka, not seek revenge."

"And he is not going to let us help her." Horatius retorted. "Are you?" He demanded of Stalker. The Tenno boogeyman seemed to think for several seconds. Then he shrugged. If anything, Horatius' voice got colder. "What?"

"You Corpus brainwashed her." Stalker sounded calm. Maybe too calm.

"It was called a 'personality overlay', dipshit." _Nikis_ himself might not have bettered Horatius' cold and angry tone. "Not the full Indoctrination. We had to make the Board _think_ we were sending her off as a _spy_. That explained the oddities. _You_ tell _me_ what would have happened if they had discovered a _child_ with Tenno DNA in our midst. _Tell me!_ " He snapped. The Board's response would not have been good and then the inevitable Tenno response to _that_ would have been grisly.

"You hurt her." Stalker did not relent either.

"The overlay _didn't_ hurt her." Horatius retorted. "The first bit? Yes. It hurt her. Abused her trust. We needed her to fit in. And yes, lots of us spoke up about it. But it saved her _life_." He shook his head, just a little. "We tried to help her. We tried to protect her. Yes, we failed against the Red Veil. Blame us for that if you _dare_." This was challenging and Ona winced harder. Stalker...relaxed?

"You feel for her." Stalker said slowly. "Why?"

"Because she is a good kid. Just because you _fight_ monsters doesn't mean you have to _be_ a monster." Horatius stated, his tone a bit calmer. "I have done monstrous things, in the line of duty. But they had to be done. Saving a hurt little girl's life was a good thing measured against a lifetime of bad. I take good where and when I can."

"Be glad of that." Stalker's tone was mild now. "Enjoy it while you can. It won't last."

"Unlike you, I am just _human_." Horatius' tone was sardonic now. "So, do we fight or do we help the girl?"

Stalker looked around the room for a moment and then he slowly knelt. His hands were on his throwing knives, but he seemed almost relaxed otherwise.

"Help her."

* * *

 _Well, that went better than expected._

Janet relaxed a little as she watched the two small warframes move to start speaking to the thing that had been Doctor Amelia Priosa. She felt a pang as she looked at the human she had met only a few times in person, but had seen in visions far more often. Now? She could _feel_ Amelia screaming inside a dark hole in her head. A hole she would never be able to get out of.

 _She never had a chance._ The Oracle said sadly. _And they will never let her live._

 _Never say never, Janet._ The Reverend Mother's voice was sad as well. _Yes, what Amelia did was drastic. Yes, she had cause. But she is still alive. For now. We will have to sequester her, keep her from the database when she passes. That tech..._ The nun made a gagging noise. _I can believe he had that. And desperation makes people do the worst things. But she was a good person. And she is Sara's_ _Mom_ _. I..._

 _It isn't your fault, Reverend Mother._ Janet said quietly. _I was so busy looking for Serene I never saw what was going on with Mishka. I should have._

 _Oh hush._ The other chided the Oracle gently. _Last I checked you were human, not a goddess._

 _Yes, but..._ Janet began only to break off as the Reverend Mother coughed. _Okay, okay. Point taken._ She snarled half heatedly. _You know? You are just as pushy as your predecessor._

 _Good._ The Reverend Mother said firmly. _With all of the sewage in human form I have to wade through, I_ _need_ _to be. Keep an eye on what is happening to Mishka? A mental eye that is?_

 _I will._ Janet promised. But the other did not leave. _Is there something else?_

 _There is._ The Reverend Mother said gently. _Janet. You know what you need to do._

 _I do._ Janet hadn't meant that to come out hard. _Sorry._ She said quickly. _I have been stalling. Nikis is worried. So am I._

 _We will help._ The Reverend Mother's voice was gentle now. _Shepherd will help too._

Janet had to smile at that. 'Shepherd' was the title that a woman on Mercury had taken to assume care of her 'flock' a group of humans who had -for lack of a better word- _flocked_ together to help each other in the grim and unyielding life of the mines on Mercury. Even today, Mercury still had the most deposits of many rare metals in the Solar System. Under Orokin, all of the mining had been done by machines or genetically engineered clones. But the machines were dust and the clones? The Grineer did not mine now for the most part. Oh, they could. But mostly? They conquered and killed.

Mercury was not a fun place to live. It's remnant Orokin technology allowed for human habitation. But the ore from the mines was needed across the system. The Grineer took colonies regularly to plunder the ore. The fates of the humans who were there when that happened was grim. Shepherd and her flock helped make life on Mercury just a little better. Janet had met Shepherd during a mess while she had been a regular operative of the Lotus and the two had become friends since.

 _I know._ Janet said sadly. _I have even chosen. The one they made...works. But that means I can never touch Nikis in the flesh again. And all my friends here..._

 _Janet._ The Reverend Mother said softly. _Your body is failing._

It was a closely guarded secret that the Forgotten's attack that had critically injured the Lotus and come so close to killing Janet had very nearly succeeded. The Oracle had been injured very badly. The actual explosions hadn't hurt her, but instead, they had breached the hull of the submerged habitat she called home. Being crushed by millions of gallons of ocean had been bad for a woman who had been recovering from other serious injuries already. The other Oracles had rescued her and her attendants who could be saved, but the damage was done.

 _I know._ Janet said weakly. _I am stalling and I know it scares the others. The attendants won't do it until I do. Stubborn, the lot of them._

 _Well, duh._ The Reverend Mother actually blew a raspberry! _Who_ _are they hanging around with?_ Janet had to chuckle at that, which was the point.

 _I will talk to Nikis, set a time._ Janet tried not to sigh. This step was irreversible. She would not be human anymore. She could literally live forever in the form that had been made for her if she was careful.

 _You do that._ A mental caress of farewell and the Reverend Mother was gone.

Janet took a deep breath and then let it out. Around her, she could feel her attendant's apprehension. Their fear for her even though none would show it openly. She opened her eyes to the small room that was her home for now. The Intensive Care Unit was crude, but it had saved her life.

"You all have been so good to me." Janet said sadly, fighting back the tears that threatened. She loved these women. They had proven such good friends. "I have stalled far too long. Juliet V-54, Francis F-87, all of you..." She shook her head the little she could. "I am ready."

"There is something you need to do first, Oracle." Francis F-87 bowed to her and stepped aside as a pitch black form stepped into Janet's view. A familiar Tenno in a Nekros warframe. "We will leave you two alone."

"No." Nikis' voice was different, calmer. Sadder. He stepped to Janet's bedside and took her hand in a gentle grip. "You all have earned my trust. My gratitude even. You saved the life of the woman I love at the cost of three of your own lives. Stay."

"But..." Lisa R-32 stammered, only to pause as Janet smiled at her.

"This will be a monumental change for all of us." Janet said sadly. "Your devotion to me is...worrisome at times. But I also take comfort from it." All of the assembled women smiled at her and she smiled back. "I need to talk to Nikis virtually. It won't take long. Once it is done, I will transfer."

"And then we will." Juliet V-54 said firmly and all of the remaining attendants nodded with her. "We serve the Mother."

"Stubborn fools." Janet smiled a bit fondly as the world fell away.

The world she materialized in was familiar. The room was bare except for a bed. Janet smiled. This was the first place Nikis had brought her after she had activated the Gaia protocols, ancient safeguards to protect his sanity. She had visited many other virtual worlds, but this one had a fond place in her heart. She looked down and she wore a robe. Her body was healthy and whole. She smiled wider.

"You like it here too." Nikis appeared nearby. He also wore a robe instead of his warframe.

"I like it more with company." Janet said as she pulled Nikis towards the bed. "And we will have to keep in touch. I am not going to die. I am going to change." She led Nikis to the bed and sat, pulling him down to sit beside her.

"Things will change, Janet." Nikis said as he cupped her chin with his hand. "But the fact that I love you will not. I am bit stubborn you know."

"You don't _say_?" Janet relaxed for the first time in awhile. For now? She would let the future worry about itself. She had more important things to worry about.

"No words now."

* * *

 **Later**

Nikis sighed as Janet's body was laid to rest beside her attendants. All lay still and cold. If he didn't know better, he would think them all dead.

"Did she ever say what to do with her... with her body?" Caroline's voice was cautious. Then again, Nikis' sister _had_ managed to irritate him quite thoroughly not too long ago and no one _sane_ wanted Nikis angry with them. Even Oracles feared the Grandmaster of the Dead.

"A Clergy agent will 'find it' in a couple of days." Nikis said softly, staring at the still forms. "That will satisfy the Corpus need for blood for her 'betrayal'. Lousy scum want to profit off her death? Nope. Wouldn't even let the Clergy, except she demanded it."

"Nikis... I..." Caroline started and then broke off. "She isn't gone."

"I know." Nikis said flatly. "And I know she will take several days to acclimatize to her new form. Then she has to learn to move again, to survive in another environment." He looked to the side where a _huge_ form lay half in, half out of the water. "And the attendants? Have they chosen?"

"Yes. Some have chosen mer form." Caroline said softly. "Others, a mix of other forms. Do you need to tell anyone?"

"No." Nikis said softly. "I won't be back, Caroline." The turtle that housed the mind of his sister slumped and her tiny head nodded. "You all go your way. I go mine. Take care of her. She is..." He swallowed hard. "She is what the system needs."

"You haven't lost her, Nikis." Caroline promised. "You can talk anytime." He turned and left without speaking. "Nikis!" She called and he paused. "Be good!"

Nikis scoffed and then he was gone.

* * *

" _ **NO!**_ "

The sudden, impassioned scream from the formerly slumbering girl had everyone suddenly ready to fight. But all relaxed as Mishka jerked awake in her pod. She was crying as she tried to sit up and could not.

"Mishka, be calm." Ona said from her seat beside the pod. Mishka opened her eyes and froze. That was understandable. It wasn't every day one saw a warframe _partly_ open. A hole in the pod allowed access to Mishka's body. "You are in no danger, girl." Ona reassured her. But the sight was not one for reassurance.

"There is a tube running from your leg to my arm." Mishka said slowly. Ona nodded. "What did he do to you?" She demanded.

" _He_ didn't." Ona said quietly. " _I_ did. It is called a 'bone marrow transplant' and it is an ancient cure for cancer of the type you were afflicted with. It is almost done and then we shall see if it worked."

"You are not a doct-" Mishka stilled as her eyes went here and there, seeing the Special Forces team, the still red and black warframe, and Amelia standing by one wall, her face blank. "No. No! I had hoped it was a dream... A nightmare. He..." She was crying now as Ona took her hand.

"I know." Ona said quietly.

"Why are Corpus here?" Mishka asked after a moment.

"You _really_ need to ask that?" Horatius asked her in a wicked tone and she actually smiled a little. "You have some _odd_ friends, girl and I count myself among them."

"I see." Mishka said softly, closing her eyes. "Commander Horatius, do you have a sidearm? I cannot imagine that grenade launcher in an enclosed space would be healthy for you or your men."

"Why?" Horatius asked slowly.

"Because I want to _borrow_ it." Mishka's words were cold and hard as she glared at Stalker. "I see someone who dearly needs a bullet or a packet of plasma in the _head_." Horatius shook his head and she snarled at him. "Why not?"

"This isn't you, Mishka." Horatius said quietly. "And there are problems. My pistol being gene-locked to only fire for me, the fact that you wouldn't be strong enough to aim the hand cannon I carry as a sidearm, and the overall delicacy of the medical equipment in this place are secondary problems."

"And the primary?" Mishka demanded, still glaring at Stalker.

"You are not a murderer." Horatius was still calm, but underneath lay entreaty. "You are not like me. Not like him. Don't do that to yourself, girl. If you lose who and what you are, you won't ever get it back." Stalker nodded slowly to the Commander. "He is sure to have done something to your mind, girl. Fight it. Whatever it is."

"I didn't." Stalker jerked back as Mishka screamed at him.

" _SHUT UP!_ " The girl shouted. " _Nothing you say can be trusted! Nothing! You lie! It is_ _what_ _you_ _ **do**_ _!_ " Ona glanced at the medical readouts, her posture worried as Mishka continued her rant. " _You lied to me! You lied to Mom. You kill my friend! My family! Everyone I consider a friend, you will kill if you get the chance! I wish I were dead! Then you would have no reason to keep hounding me!_ "

"Mishka, calm down. Please." Ona begged her as the readouts on the wall over Mishka went nuts with her vitals. "He is danger yes. But he is your father. He was trying to-" She was cut off.

"He _lies_!" Mishka continued to scream. " _Just get out of my life you lying piece of_ _ **filth**_ _!_ ** _I __HAVE __NO __FATHER_ _!_** "

Stalker bowed his head slowly and when he spoke it was sad.

"I know."


	12. Chapter 12

**Traps?**

For a long moment after Stalker spoke, there was utter silence. Then, to everyone's amazement, Horatius started to _sing!_ One jerked, worried, but Stalker didn't move. He seemed as amazed as she was. She didn't know the words but they were an ancient language called English. And _what_ words...

She went down last October in a pouring driving rain  
The skipper, he'd been drinking and the Mate, he felt no pain  
Too close to Three Mile Rock, and she was dealt her mortal blow  
And the Mary Ellen Carter settled low  
There were five of us aboard her when she finally was awash  
We'd worked like hell to save her, all heedless of the cost  
And the groan she gave as she went down, it caused us to proclaim  
That the Mary Ellen Carter would rise again

[spoiler]

watch?v=Fhop5VuLDIQ

[/spoiler]

Ona wasn't sure what all the words meant, but she got the gist. Everyone was staring as Horatius sang. His aim didn't waver! Then Ona hissed as _Stalker_ started to sing! _The same song!_ He joined in as if he had _planned_ a duet!

Well, the owners wrote her off; not a nickel would they spend  
She gave twenty years of service, boys, then met her sorry end  
But insurance paid the loss to them, they let her rest below  
Then they laughed at us and said we had to go  
But we talked of her all winter, some days around the clock  
For she's worth a quarter million, afloat and at the dock  
And with every jar that hit the bar, we swore we would remain  
And make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again...

The Corpus soldier and the Tenno boogeyman sang the ancient tune together. Mishka, Ona and Maric all stared in dumbfounded amazement as the pair sang. None of the Special Force as much as flinched. Mishka's mouth had fallen open and she stared as the being she hated with all of her soul poured out _his!_

...Rise again, rise again; though your heart it be broken  
And life about to end  
No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend  
Like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again

When the final chorus ended, there was utter silence. Both male warriors nodded to one another. Then they both looked at Mishka who was crying. Stalker gave a long, deep, sad sigh.

"I am sorry for a lot of things, Mishka." The Tenno killer said softly. "What I did to Doctor Amelia is one of those. But saving _you_? _That_ I am not sorry for. You are right. You have no father. You will never see me again." He turned to look at Horatius. "Destruct is delayed. You have twenty minutes, get her _out of here_." Mishka was hardly the only one to exclaim as his form wavered and _vanished_.

"Move!" Horatius snapped and his team swung into action. Two moving to scan Mishka's pod and another to scan Amelia who stood silent. "We have medical support on standby."

"Right." Ona said in a tiny voice. "That song..."

" _Later_." Horatius commanded and Ona bowed her head in acquiescence. "Can we disconnect you?" He asked the tiny Nyx who looked at the tube that connected her and Mishka.

"I don't know." Ona said quietly. She looked to where Amelia stood. "Doctor? Can we be unhooked? We need to transport her to more comprehensive care." She was hardly the only one to gulp as Amelia walked to a bank of machinery. The human moved...wrongly. It wasn't anything overt, she was just _wrong_.

"Transplant completed." Amelia's voice likewise was wrong. It wasn't he kind and gentle doctor they knew. Utterly devoid of emotion. "Status undetermined." She moved, her hands quick and sure as she disconnected the tube from Mishka first and then Ona. Then she -it- stepped back."Ready to transport."

"I... I don't understand." Mishka did not quite wail. Close but not quite.

"Neither do we, Mishka." Ona said as she took Mishka's hand through the pod again. One of the Special Forces hit a control and the pod rose up on some kind of antigravity field. Ona rose with it as the trooper guided it towards where the group had appeared. "For now? Rest. We need to see if this worked. Get you to medical care."

"Mom will be freaking." Mishka said softly. "I... I can't hear the Caretakers."

"I don't know what it happening, Mishka." Ona said softly as her warframe sealed up around her leg. "But we are going to take care of you. Okay?" She asked softly.

"Ona..." Mishka was crying as Ona held her hand in a gentle but unbreakable grip. Horatius stood nearby, his helmet visor sweeping from side to side. "Horatius... I..."

"Later, Mishka." Horatius promised. "We will talk."

"Give Mercedes a hug for me?" Mishka pleaded as the small Frost moved to stand beside the pod as well. The Corpus soldier nodded.

"I will." Horatius promised as the pod, Mishka, Ona, Maric and the trooper with them vanished. Horatius blew out a breath and looked at the one with the datapad who shook his head. "Right. Everyone out. Now." The remaining team members moved to him and he keyed for a recalled.

The wash of power was uncomfortable, but his teams had been given some interesting things since their clandestine alliance with the Lotus. None of his people were incapacitated when they came out the other side. It used to be too dangerous for humans to do such. Now? It wasn't recommended, but it made for a _hell_ of a shock to enemies of all sorts when Special Forces simply _appeared_ in their midst and opened fire.

The newest Orokin Tower's entry area was _packed_. The promised reception committee was waiting. Medical personnel were already clucking over Mishka, Ona and Maric. Nikis stood near one wall, his hands resting on his pistols. Several other Tenno were in proximity, most aiming weapons at the doctor as Mishka cried.

"No!" Mishka was screaming as the pod she was in was guided away, Ona and Maric both staying close to it. "Don't _hurt_ her!"

"That is not the person we knew, darling." Nikis said quietly. "Putting that thing on her killed her."

" _No_..." Mishka was sobbing harder as the pod left the area, medical personnel following. Her sobs cut off with the door, but the tension remained as the Tenno scrutinized the still from of the doctor..

"Reverend Mother says she isn't gone." Horatius said quietly as he moved to stand near Nikis. But not too near. The Tenno might have contributed DNA to Horatius' creation -and wasn't _that_ a twisted tale in and of itself?- but Nikis still creeped the tough as nails soldier out.

"She is lost." Nikis replied just as quietly as the Tenno eyed the still doctor. "The enthrallment device will grow inside her. Eventually, it will change her down completely, make a Sentient controller out of her body. We cannot allow that." Horatius slumped a bit and nodded. "Any sign of Serene?"

"No." Horatius said with a grunt. "She wasn't there when we got there. There was an empty area where she might have laid down, but nothing was there."

"This stinks of a trap." Nikis said with a scowl in his tone. "Ona and Maric were nuts to do that." He looked at Horatius. "Do I need to say it?"

"Pot meet kettle." Horatius said with a grin. "You are not the best example of sanity yourself, _dad_." The last was sour.

"Why do I put up with you?" Nikis asked nobody and everybody.

"Because no one else dares to laugh at you." Horatius immediately retorted. Nikis looked at him and the Special Forces Commander shrugged. "Tell me I lie." Nikis made a rude noise and Horatius snickered.

"Vina and Mercedes asked for an update." Nikis said mildly. Horatius froze and Nikis snickered himself. "No, I won't tell them about the nuke."

"Thanks." Horatius said and then stiffened. "They already know, don't they?" Nikis shrugged and Horatius fought to keep from sighing. "That Clergy stuff gets old." Then he jerked as a familiar mind touched his.

 _She is not gone._ The Reverend Mother's voice was sad, sick and scared. _Ask Karl what happens if the enthrallment device is removed._

Horatius swallowed and relayed the message to the Rhino who was in charge of the team of Tenno. The huge form looked at him and then the others all looked at each to her. None of them moved, but none of them shot Amelia either.

"I don't think anyone knows." Nikis said quietly. "During the war, most thralls were just executed. There wasn't _time_ for in depth research. Karl dealt with a controller, the mature version. This doesn't have a controller. It will try to grow into one."

" _Inside_ her brain?" Horatius felt nausea rise and Nikis nodded. "Ick." His teammates looked at him and he waved for them to go. "Go on, get the debriefing started. I... better stay. The Reverend Mother will want this witnessed." They didn't salute, Special Forces rarely put stock in formality. All nodded to him and vanished. "Is there _nothing_ we can do?"

"Even if we could, Horatius..." Nikis said slowly. "...her life is forfeit for betraying a trust." Everything stopped as a voice sounded.

"Yes." All eyes turned to where Amelia stood silent under the Tenno's guns. "Kill... me..."

"What the _hell_?" Horatius said into the sudden silence. "You said she was _mindless_."

"Not mindless. A thrall." Nikis had his pistols in hand and aimed at Amelia now. "She was corrupted by the machine when it attached to the back of her skull. She is a thrall. She obeys orders. At least until she is subsumed by the machine and turned into a controller. Then she will try to contact her masters. So... how the hell?" He snarled as one of the Tenno holstered its weapon and stepped towards Amelia. " _Careful_ Alicia!"

Horatius fought a snicker as the Trinity made a very rude gesture at the Nekros. Nikis hissed, but did not react otherwise as the Trinity stepped right up to the immobile human doctor and started scanning. The machine in human form did not react. But something else did.

"No." The human woman's lips barely moved, but the sheer pain in her tone had the Special Forces Commander reaching for his pistol to end her pain. He froze as Nikis shook his head. "Please." She begged.

"This isn't the way those things are supposed to work." Nikis said after a moment. "Alicia?" He asked as the Trinity stepped back. Her posture spoke of confusion. She shrugged.

"This has to be some kind of trick." Horatius said slowly. "Some kind of trap. How long do those things take to grow?" A scattering of shrugs met his question and he tried very hard not to sigh. From Nikis' sudden shaking, he didn't quite succeed. Not of the Nekros as laughing silently at him. "Then we need more information. Who can get it safely?"

"Please." Amelia begged again and Horatius made snap decision as all of the Tenno looked at one another. He stepped forward.

"Boy..." Nikis warned, but Horatius ignored him.

"They say this isn't the way it is supposed to work." Horatius did not move his hands, doing so wasn't safe around Tenno on hair trigger. Instead, he directed his words to Amelia. "So... can you tell me your own status?"

"Unable to comply. Systems incomplete." The mechanical voice was still wrong. But it was better in some ways than the heart wrenching pain of the other. "Working to repair."

"Incomplete?" Horatius turned a puzzled glance to the Tenno but from their postures, they were as confused as he was. "Define." He said calmly.

"Initial implantation was successful." The machine in Amelia's body said in its pitiless tone. "Expansion has been curtailed. Unknown cause. Host mind resistance is higher than human norms."

"Good girl." Nikis sounded approving. "So, what happens now?"

"Host mind resistance weakening." The machine replied. "Full integration will follow. Then full expansion will achieve Sentience."

 _Wait._ The Reverend Mother said into Horatius' mind. _If it_ _isn't_ _fully connected, we can_ _stop_ _it!_ He relayed that to the Tenno, but as one, they all shook their heads.

"We cannot take the risk, Horatius." Nikis grunted. "Pity, but she is asking for it."

"She is hurting." Horatius replied. "Machine. What is prognosis if enthrallment device removed?"

"Unacceptable." The machine replied. "Sentience will be-" Whatever else it was going to say was cut off as Horatius grabbed her arm and threw her to the floor. Before anyone could move, he had a knife in hand and was kneeling on her back.

"Horatius! Don't!" Nikis called, but it was too late, the human soldier had the evil looking silver machine in view. A quick slice and part of it slid away, leaving a bloody smear on her neck. Amelia screamed loud and long, her voice rising as Horatius jumped off of her. The sound of shots had Horatius flinching, but when he looked, all of the shots had hit the nasty machine and it _vaporized_. " _Full quarantine!_ " Nikis called and energy fields swept down around everyone. "You _idiot_ boy! She is _dead_ anyway! What the _hell_ were you _thinking_?"

Bits of red flashed here and there around where the machine had been destroyed as the Tower took steps to keep the nanites of the nasty machine from going any further.

"That she was in pain." Horatius said quietly as Amelia cried where she lay. "That if it was really a full one or whatever, she wouldn't have been able to talk. So it either wasn't in control or it wasn't what we all thought it was." He went still as Amelia spoke.

"It was an enthrallment device." Amelia's voice was hoarse from pain and fear. "Why? Why didn't you just _kill_ me?" She begged. "It will regrow." She slumped on her enclosure. "I could feel it boring in, taking control. It... I couldn't stop it! I couldn't."

"Not your fault." Horatius said slowly and then looked at the Tenno. "It wasn't her fault! She was trying to save her mate!" She sank to the floor, apparently unconscious as blood trickled form her head.

"That is neither here nor there, Horatius." Nikis said with an air of exaggerated patience. "Either of these things, betraying our trust by joining the Clergy _or_ being a Sentient thrall, would merit death."

"And I thought the _Board_ was blind." Horatius snapped. At that, everything seemed to stop. All of the Tenno were staring at him as he shook his head. "You are supposed to be better than us humans. But you aren't are you?"

"Horatius, it is not like that." Nikis said quietly.

"All I see is hurt pride and prejudice." Horatius said sternly. "If there is more, tell me. Or is that a Tenno secret?" The Tenno looked at one another and then at Nikis who slowly shook his head.

"It's not a secret." Nikis' was obviously fighting for calm and succeeded. "Sentient tech kills humans. Horatius, we cannot save her."

"Are you certain?" Horatius pressed.

"Yes." Nikis replied. "I saw it far too often. We saw it far too often. We will see if we can do anything, you have my word on that." Horatius nodded slowly. "But you have to understand, we probably _can't_." The Corpus soldier slumped a bit. "Is that the Clergy asking or you?"

"A bit of both." Horatius acknowledged. "We also need to find Serene."

"Yeah." Did the Nekros sound _worried_?

"And she will not make it easy."

* * *

 **Far across the system**

The form was not familiar. The body moved wrong in any number of ways. But it was useful. No one paid Stalker a second glance as he strode through the Relay. Changing the colors of the Banshee warframe had not been easy, but he had managed it. His skin crawled. He was surrounded by false Tenno, but none of them paid him any mid. The ID that he had created for this form was holding up. Now if he could just get to the Archives without being-

 _The Law of Retribution has been enacted._ The voice in his head was familiar and he bit back a curse as Tenno all around him stiffened into immobility. He did as well. He had to stay in character. This Banshee was just as easily duped as the others. _For the lives lost on the Relays the Grineer destroyed, Vay Hek must pay._

Stalker tried not to sigh. Enacting vengeance on a clone who could be replaced within a day seemed worse than useless. If they could even kill him. Vay Hek was a coward who fled battles any time they went against him. They could kill clones by the hundreds, destroy Grineer machinery and wreak havoc all around, but in the end? It would be futile. Within twenty four hours, everything would be back as it was. Futile.

Saving Mishka had been a good thing. But it had also been a diversion. He regretted what he had done to the human doctor, a little. The woman had been stubborn enough to be Tenno herself. But in the end? Mishka was alive and her sickness had been shown to all. Perhaps they could save her, perhaps not. Mishka had made her opinion of him quite clear and he couldn't really blame her. He was what he was. He had gotten results, if in a horrific fashion at the cost of a human life and soul. It wasn't-

Ah. The Tenno around him were raising hands to answer the Lotus' call for retribution. He understood that. He still thought doing it to Grineer was the height of folly, but... He paused. Only seven hands had been raised. He stared around, but there were no other Tenno visible. All do the others were looking at him! Damn! The law demanded _eight!_ If he didn't join the operation, his cover was _dust_. No choice.

He raised his right hand to join the others. Each of them nodded to him and he nodded back. But inside, he was seething.

 _So... close!_ Then he froze as a golden form appeared nearby. He hadn't seen it clearly before. It had been one of the ones raising its hand, but he hadn't seen what warframe it was in the press. It was an Ash Prime! And not just _any_ Ash Prime. It was one of his _targets!_ One of the ones he had been seeking so long!

 _Well, well, well..._ Stalker said in the recesses of his mind as the Ash Prime started for the docked ships, the others and Stalker following. _This is going to be... interesting._

Then his day got _worse_ as another golden form joined the Ash Prime. The other Tenno gave the Loki Prime a wide berth. So did Stalker, but for other reasons. If he slipped up at all, if he showed _any_ hint of his true motivations, he gave himself no chance of escape in _this_ warframe.

Not from the Tenno interrogator known as _Sun_.

* * *

 **'The Mary Ellen Carter' is property of the estate of Stan Rogers and is in no way my own work.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Retribution**

It wasn't as bad as he had feared.

He remembered being part of teams way, way back before all of the horror, before the Collapse. Sometimes the teams were good, but he rarely remembered those. The _bad_ teams now? _Those_ he would remember _forever_. This wasn't nearly that bad. But there were problems.

One, this wasn't his warframe. Oh, the Banshee frame was fully modded and quite capable. Since he had downloaded his consciousness into it, it accepted him as the operator. The arsenal that he had found in her ship had been...extensive. There were things in that arsenal that even Stalker had never _seen_. Or if he _had_ , he had forgotten. He had selected a basic warframe loadout from the selections and whistled in awe at Serene's collection of mods. She hadn't stinted -at all- in her collection. The warframe wasn't the problem. The problem was that it wasn't _his_. He had figured on using Serene's body the same way Sun and Nikis had used _his_ against the Grineer, (even with his acquiescence, that had been humiliating which had been the point) a walk quick in to check the archives and then a quick walk out. Except that the call for retribution had come and he had been stuck. The warframe felt wrong, moved wrong and all of the powers were not ones he had any experience with. He had practiced virtually en route to the attack of course, only an _idiot_ would not. The abilities were not difficult to master for someone who had spent many lifetimes hunting. But it wasn't _his_ warframe, so he felt wrong.

Then there were the armaments. Again, Serene's collection was _incredible_. She even had some of _his_ weapons! His hands lingered over the copy of his Dread. He had fought her a few times, usually getting trounced in the process. She was sneaky as hell and unlike some Tenno, had _no_ desire to fight fair. He...didn't like remembering those instances. No one could win every battle and he had prevailed a few times as well. But he had never managed to make it permanent. She walked alone, or, she had until she joined the huge white Rhino's -Karl's- clan. The times he had faced that clan really, really smarted. But he had to admit, they knew what they were doing. Fake Tenno they might be, but they were no slouches or pushovers. He set the bow aside after a moment and scanned the rest of her arsenal. His eyes had lit on several Prime weapons. He had finally selected a Burston Prime. Not the hardest hitting or fastest firing of the weapons available, but solid, dependable and efficient on ammunition. A set of throwing knives so very like his own and a Glaive that gleamed dark -much like the First's come to think of it- rounded out his arsenal.

Part of him had hoped for a chance at his target but of course, the safeties on each of the weapons would prevent any friendly fire incidents. Pity. More importantly, aiming at a fellow Tenno with Sun _anywhere_ nearby _defined_ the words 'bad idea _'_. Sun had been a dark legend when Stalker had been an apprentice. No one knew how old the interrogator was, how long he had been doing what he did. No one dared ask, more than likely. Asking Sun such a thing was about on par with asking _Nikis_ such. Not a good idea. Oh, Sun or Nikis might _answer_ , but it would cost. Oh yes. It _would_ cost.

Taking Serene's ship had also been a risk. While she had changed the color scheme after he had 'encouraged' her to 'explore' other options besides the Lotus, it was still her ship. Anyone who had been in it would likely recognize it if they got inside, he hoped and prayed it wouldn't happen. This ship was an asset, a very powerful one. Almost as powerful as Serene's body and warframe. After all, no one sane would look for Stalker _here_.

The initial planning session had gone smoothly,. Sun and the Ash hadn't said a word, simply nodded at appropriate times. Neither had Stalker in his disguise. Some of the other shad shared details of Grineer technology that had been encountered on other such visits of retribution and Stalker had been glad of that. He knew of the Cicero toxin of course, the Grineer propaganda ensured _everyone_ knew of the nasty defoliant. But he had never imagined it in such quantities that level of it in the air actually threatened Tenno in warfames. Then the locking mechanisms. The Fomorian core production facility, the other bases... His mind had been awhirl with information, bit in the end, It didn't matter.

Fake or not, these were Tenno. Sun and the Ash were _true_ Tenno. Or...they had been. Hate them he might. But he did not doubt their resolve. The team had been ready for a tough fight.

The Grineer did not disappoint.

* * *

It was chaos.

It was carnage.

It was war.

The Grineer were powerful. They had overwhelming numbers. Their weapons and tactics were not the best, but they really didn't _need_ such things against most foes. Even Infested could be scoured away with enough direct brute force. Corpus had learned _not_ to fight on Grineer terms. When the techno-fanatics fought Grineer, it was always their robots that took the brunt of the fighting. Easy to produce and easy to replace, the proxies were a fairly good match for the clones in some ways. Not in others. The average MOA was about half as smart as the average Grineer and that was saying something. The Corpus made up for it in technology. Their energy weapons often made a mockery of any Grineer armor. But this time, the Grineer were not facing Corpus or Infested. This time they were facing their _worst_ nightmare.

Tenno generally stuck to the shadows. There had never been a lot of Tenno even at the height of Orokin power. Perhaps five million total? Perhaps less in a solar system that had once boasted _two hundred billion_ inhabitants across it's myriad planets and planetoids. That was about one Tenno for every four hundred inhabitants of Orokin. But the raw numbers were not the whole story. Tenno had always shunned the limelight. As the First had commanded so long ago, they had guarded against the return of the Technocyte Virus and guarded against its use as a weapon of war. The war with the Sentients had changed that. Where before there had been dozens of Tenno, all dedicated to guarding the system from the horrors of Infestation, suddenly, there were _millions_ of them thrown into the crucible of war. It had been... bad. Then the Orokin had been brought down, mostly by their own hubris.

That left the feeble remnants of the human race to the mercy of threats like the Grineer.

But not unopposed. Oh _no_.

* * *

Stalker fired a short series of bursts, walking his fire expertly from one Grineer to another as the team moved forward. The team hadn't exchanged any communication at all during this battle. Dropping into a Grineer stronghold on their center of activity -Earth- was one thing. Destroying the toxin injectors that were defoliating the planet was another thing entirely. The Grineer had learned. Before, Tenno strike teams had managed to destroy toxin injectors by creating chemical reactions inside them, normally using antigens. But _these_ injectors were protected by powerful and impenetrable shields. Then the atmospheric density of the acidic toxin... He had been warned, they all had been. But the pain was overwhelming at times. The good news was that the team had a Trinity along. She was quite good. Stalker had never been in any real danger of falling to the toxin. Even if he did? This body might fail, but he would escape.

He cast Sonar again and marched beside the Loki who held the bomb. His team was spread out, the Ash and Sun ranging about, eliminating high profile enemies. The Trinity, two Lokis, the Ash who was his target, himself, a Mirage who kept dazzling Grineer with her Prism until even _Stalker_ had trouble seeing at times -hence the Sonar-, an Excalibur and a Vauban.

A scream came from nearby and Stalker was in motion before any of the others. The Trinity had been blindsided! A Sonic Boom and the Bombard who had hurt his teammate went flying over a railing. The clone's scream vanished in the distance as Stalker held a hand over the fallen healer. In moments, she rolled to her feet and nodded to him before casting her Energy Vampire ability again. He moved back to flank the other Loki as Sun and the Ash appeared nearby, ascertained the situation was under control and vanished again. The Loki Stalker had been escorting moved to stand by the latest injector and Stalker darted to one side. The Grineer built these things randomly at times. But he found what he was seeking quickly. A quick hack and he was in.

The Grineer were powerful, but when it came to tech? They were often quick slipshod. They would do just enough to make something work and call it done. That left all kinds of holes to exploit, both in their machinery and in their computer code. But...

Stalker jerked as he saw something on the console that didn't fit. Something that wasn't right. He clicked a file and stared as he saw what it said. He barely heard the bomb go off, barely noticed when the Lotus called to congratulate the team. He held up a hand and a presence at his shoulder signified Sun appearing. He waved at the console urgently and Sun looked. The Interrogator seemed to pause and then nodded.

'Location of infestation nest designated 'Caretaker' detected. Vermin humans detected inside. Destroy all. Glory to the queens.'

He looked at Sun and the interrogator shook his head slowly as the Lisets swooped in to pick them up.

 _If they destroy the Caretakers...Ancestors help us all!_ Stalker shook his head. They had to finish this. _Then_ they could worry about the Caretakers. Sun nodded and moved off, leaving Stalker to sigh in relief. Why had he done that? It wasn't his problem. Getting caught by Sun was his problem. _Then_ tracking his target. The nutcases who helped the infested were not his problem.

Were they?

He had no answer for that. That bothered him even as he stepped into his tiny ship.

* * *

It went like clockwork. The Grineer had massed huge numbers of clone on Ceres, but most of them were busy with other duties. This time, the Vauban and the Mirage kept all of the Grineer pinned in place long enough for the team to decode the lock on the shipyard door. They didn't actually kill any until they found a completed Fomorian core and the Lotus figured to use it to draw out Vay Hek. It worked, as it always did. Not the brightest of bulbs, that Grineer. Even the arrival of the Grustag 3 changed the outcome in any way. They were strong and far more vicious even than regular Grineer. But they were _dumb_. A stupid enemy was a gift from the ancestors and _these guys_...

Stalker took no chances. He threw knives and his Glaive at each of the Grustag 3 he passed as they hung in the Vauban's Bastille. He was not the only one to do so. In moments, each fell to lie still. Tough they might be, but _eight_ Tenno would make short work of just about _anything_. As his Glaive returned to his hand, Stalker mused over his feelings. It was odd. These Tenno or fake Tenno fought well and fought as a _team_. The Grineer, no matter their numbers, fought as individuals. This was a foregone conclusion even _before_ the designated Liset swept in to take the core to deep space for disposal.

As his ship carried him away from the battle and towards where Hek had fled yet again, Stalker pondered.

The Caretakers were not his duty. His duty was the Ash who he had sought for so long. But, the Caretakers could have killed him. Several times. He had fought them occasionally, before he had even known they had still existed. His memories of the Caretakers before the Collapse were dim. It had been a _long_ time. They had been denigrated by some Tenno. But his first masters had put it into perspective. The Caretakers of the Unclean had an _awful_ job. They had maintained the quarantine. When Tenno had fought and slain any who used the Technocyte virus in any way, often there were residues, leftovers. Sometimes people who were infected or _might be_. Killing them out of hand often seemed wrong, but they would not be left to run loose either. Quarantine seemed a safer prospect in many cases. He had no idea how many Infested had been quarantined, but he suspected it had been a lot.

And then, it had all gone wrong. The quarantine had been breached. By the Sentients? By Tenno? The rumors abounded. He had heard a darker rumor and forced himself to ignore that. He had been loyal to the Emperor. His role as a Guardian had been clear. Then the Emperor had died. Orokin had fallen. He... had fallen. He had sworn the most binding of oaths to see justice done. But he was no judge. No jury. He was vengeance.

It was what he did. He had a target at long last. It was time to fulfill part of his oath.

So, why did that feel...wrong?

* * *

It was no surprise actually. The final battle was in the same place Vay Hek always ran when threatened. Phobos. The impenetrable shields that were not as impenetrable as the Grineer thought were not a surprise. The Formorian that hung overhead was not a surprise.

Stalker fought as he always did, but something was wrong. He wasn't sure _what_. The team fought well and stayed on task as the bombs were placed in each generator station. He held down a door control and then covered others as they did the same.

Vay Hek's scream of rage changed to pain as the station he was perched on suddenly exploded into flame, destroying his shields and throwing him to the side. Stalker joined his fire with everyone else's as the team poured coherent energy, bullets and other assorted forms of destruction at the monstrous machine that Vay Hek had made for himself. The parrot or peacock or whatever the hell it was groaned and fell apart as the Grineer politician fled yet again. But...

Stalker went still as the area went quiet. All of the Grineer were down. Now would come the Lotus praising them for once more making a futile attempt to stop Vay Hek. But... she didn't. And...

"Well fought, but this charade ends now." The Ash stepped up into the middle of the group. A group that Stalker suddenly realized surrounded _him_! All held weapons ready and he could feel the animosity. "Stand down, Serene. You cannot win here."

"That is not Serene." Stalker did not dare to breathe as Sun stepped into view, his staff in hand. "Doesn't fight like her. Doesn't move like her. Skilled. But not her." Stalker keyed for a recall, but nothing happened. He was actually not surprised. "Ah." The interrogator said softly. "Should have known. Hello kinslayer. You killed her." He raised his staff, ready to strike.

Stalker did not move or speak. All of the Tenno around them stood as if frozen. But then the Ash stepped forward and laid a slow hand on Sun's arm.

"Sun." The Ash said quietly. "We have our orders."

The interrogator actually snarled. But then he stepped back.

"Yeah." Sun said softly. "We do."

A flash of gold...

Again, Stalker was not surprised when he came back to his senses. He was standing in a virtual room. He was the only thing in it. He wore no warframe. Instead, he wore formal robes with the insignia of the Orokin Royal Guard. He jerked, staring down at his insignia. It had been...a long time.

"Hello Brother." A voice he had been sure he would never hear again sounded and Stalker's eyes went huge as a Nova Prime warframe appeared nearby. She... He _knew_ her. She nodded and her voice was calm, but held deep sadness."I know. I am also one of your targets. Just like Guiscard. So..." She knelt, her warframe vanished and she bowed her head. "Strike."

"This is a trick." Stalker said firmly. "You... Lilly... _Why?_ " He wasn't asking why she had appeared. They both knew that.

"Brother. He went too far." Lilly, eldest of the surviving Royal Guard, said quietly. "He loosed the Infested. He turned them loose on the system. On the people he was supposed to _protect_. We wanted to stand by. We wanted to protect him as our oaths demanded. But... he was _insane_."

"No." Stalker snapped. "That is not possible. The council, the Elders. _Someone_ would have noticed. Said something!"

"They did." Lilly said sadly. "We did. We spoke up. We were censured. The Council spoke up. They were executed." Stalker recoiled as if slapped. "He used us to kill them!" She wasn't faking the rage and pain in her voice. There was no way. "He ordered us to kill them. Quietly. Softly as only we could. We... obeyed." She was crying now. "Ancestors help me, I obeyed. We could not disobey! We _could_ not!"

"That makes no _sense!_ " Stalker retorted. "You are Tenno! Royal Guard even! Your _job_ was to keep him from such!"

"And he found a way to control us." Lilly said softly. At that, Stalker went still. "To this day, I don't know what it was. It wasn't pain. It wasn't pleasure. It was a mix of the two. Brother, you were at the celebration, no?"

"I was." Stalker grated out through gritted teeth.

"And you do not remember what happened, do you?" Lilly's voice was soft, sad.

"It doesn't _matter_! You killed him!" Stalker snapped.

"Yes, I did." Lilly's tears hit the floor and vanished.

"Because I had to."


	14. Chapter 14

**Why**

"You... _had_ to violate your oath."

Stalker didn't remember retreating from the crying Tenno who knelt in front of him. He was shaking. In fear? In rage? He didn't know.

"You had to _spit_ on everything we _were_. Everything we _knew_. Everything we had _done_. You had to destroy what we _spent_ ** _our_** ** _LIVES_** _**protecting**_?" He hadn't intended to shout the last but Lilly recoiled from him anyway.

"You do not remember." Lilly said softly. "No one does." She bowed her head further. "I can make no excuse for what we did. For why we did it."

" _I_ can." Another voice sounded and Stalker froze as a strange woman appeared in the room, standing near Lilly. She wore a golden gown and- His eyes bulged as the _crown on her head_ started to _glow_ golden. She glared at Stalker as she laid a hand on Lilly's head. "Be at ease, Guardswoman. It was not your fault. It was my _father's_."

"Your... _father_..." Stalker stammered, undone by the sight of the crown he had served once so faithfully, glowing again on the head of someone he didn't know. "You..."

"My name is Eliza." The woman said calmly. Stalker jerked. He remember that name. "Yes. I was the youngest daughter of the last Emperor." She said with a nod. "I was disgusted with my family. I ran off to live with the Tenno. I had five daughters. Now I have _one_." Stalker tried to find words but none came to him. " _You_ slew one of them."

"That is not possible!" Stalker snapped. "I only kill-" He broke off in midword as Eliza made a chopping gesture.

"Tenno." Eliza agreed. "I know. Their father was Tenno and they were born infected. Quintuplets were too much for me and they went for training as soon as they could." She bowed her head for a moment in memory and then raised it again, spearing him with her eyes. "Her name was Oria." Stalker went still and she nodded. "You know the name." He nodded. "You killed my daughter."

"I..." Stalker swallowed hard.

"I do not want to hear it." Eliza snapped. "This has been _centuries_ in coming. It took me two _weeks_ of pestering to get Lilly and Guiscard to tell me what happened and _why_. They found ways around the orders I gave them. They obfuscated. They delayed. _Finally_ , they explained. And it wasn't even their fault!" She bowed her head. "They are the _only_ survivors left who were there besides _you_ and Olim. All the others are _dead_." Stalker jerked again and Eliza shook her head. "The centuries have not been kind to _anyone_. You swore binding blood oaths to seek vengeance for what happened. But you do not know _why_. Do you?"

"They killed the Emperor." Stalker retorted, amazed at his temerity at speaking such to the woman wearing the crown of Orokin. "Destroyed the _Empire_. Betrayed us _all_!"

"On the first point, yes they did." Eliza said with a frown. "They killed my father and his court. On the _others_?" She slumped a bit. "How many Tenno were there? Do you remember?"

"What does that have to do-?" Stalker broke off as the woman glared at him. The power in her glance... it was familiar. She would be obeyed. "All of the ones not busy mopping up." Stalker felt abashed, a feeling he was not used to and did not like. Eliza just looked at him and he shook his head. "Why?"

"Tell him." Eliza said quietly. Lilly jerked and shook her head, but the Empress would not be denied. "Lilly. He deserves to know."

"Please don't make me remember, Empress." Lilly begged. _Begged._ Stalker stared at the female Tenno, his eyes wide. The Lilly he knew would never have begged _anyone_. Not even whoever was wearing the crown! It was unthinkable!

"Lilly, what happened is not your fault. The responsibility was my father's. Not yours. Not any Tenno's. We are expecting a few more people." Eliza said quietly as Lilly sobbed. "It's all right, Lilly. It was not your fault." She repeated.

"We couldn't fight it!" Lilly cried. "We tried. We _couldn't_! Not until it was too late." Stalker stared as Eliza knelt down beside the sobbing female Tenno and held her gently.

"She killed your father." Stalker tried to protest, but his strong words fell flat as the Empress shook her head.

"After he commanded _her_ to kill any Tenno who managed to escape the controls." Eliza said softly. Stalker had been about to say something else, but he went still.

" _What_ did you say?" The Tenno boogeyman demanded.

"Please." Lilly's voice was tiny. A scared, hurting girl instead of a tough and brave warrior.

"Oh, Lilly." Eliza gave the sobbing Tenno a hug and shook her head. She looked at Stalker who just stood there, stunned. "She has served me loyally, through thick and thin. She and those like her have been my rock to lean on and my shield against those who would wish me harm." Stalker was shaking his head. "The system was falling. The damage was...considerable and the Sentients had left many traps and suicide squads. Infrastructure was decaying. The Outer Terminus was destroyed. The _rest_ of the Solar Rail was going _down_. The Infested were _everywhere_. So..." Eliza bowed her head. "My father's advisors hatched a _cunning plan_..."

Lilly looked up, met Stalker's eyes with streaming ones and started to speak.

* * *

 **The Distant Past**

"We cannot do this, Artos..." Lilly stood as always, her Nova Prime a grim statue in gold and white. But her mind was not the usual serenity that she sought as she pleaded with her commander. "We _cannot_!"

"Lilly." The Rhino Prime said sadly. "We cannot disobey either. This is wrong, we all agree. But..." He grunted as pain flared through both of them.

 _Obey_

The word echoed through both of them. Every member of the detail who was present currently, which was most of them, shuddered as pain tore through their minds. Through their souls. None of them cried out. This time anyway. None flinched as the pain flowed through them. None reacted as the door to the royal quarters opened and the Emperor glared out at them.

"Do we need to have this discussion again?" The ruler of Orokin asked sourly. Behind him, two small forms lay on the floor of his room. Neither moved. Lilly prayed they were alive, but...she didn't dare hope for such. Or maybe she didn't. Maybe she hoped their pain was done. Maybe. Hers would not end so easily or quickly. "You serve."

None of the Tenno who surrounded the room reacted and he gave a derisive sniff before stepping back into the room and shutting the door. The dozen members of his personal security detail did not exhale in relief as the compulsion that he had bound into them released them. But all wanted to. Lilly was not the only one crying softly as the noises from within the Emperor's quarters began again.

 _We are Tenno._ Lilly said in the recesses of her mind, hopefully deep enough that whatever had been put inside her head could not read her. _We know right from wrong. This is wrong. This is all wrong. The copies... the corruptions. The assassinations. Now the...violations. All this is wrong. He is insane. He has gone insane. Releasing the Infested was bad. But_ _this_ _..._

She didn't need to talk to her kin to know that all felt the same way.

"Ah, dear sweet Lilly." The oily voice of one of the 'advisors' to the Emperor sounded from nearby and Lilly had her hands on her skana before the compulsion tore through her again and her hand fell away despite her mind screaming at it to draw. To rend the fool who dared to enslave her. "Come, come. You will feel better in a minute, girl."

"I am _not_ your _girl_." Lilly snarled. Then she gasped as pain flared through her again. "I will _not submit!_ " She exclaimed as power tried to force her to her knees. A human hand touched her arm and despite her every attempt, her body moved as it directed her. Out of the room and into another where a chair had been set up. She jerked and fought, but the compulsion laid inside her was too strong. "You are dead! Every one of you is _dead_!" Lilly screamed as her body sat without her direction.

"Bad girl." The advisor said mildly and darkness roared up to claim her.

 _Lilly._ The voice pulled at her from somewhere. It was female. Kind. Not someone she knew. Or did she? Everything was blurry. _Lilly, you have to wake up._

Lilly jerked. She was standing in some kind of huge theatre. No, a stadium of some kind. She and her team surrounded the Emperor's party. She fought to draw a weapon, to do something, anything. But her body did not react. She and the rest of the detail stood with the Emperor and his closest advisors on a raised dais. Surrounding it...

 _No..._ Lilly begged as she saw the serried ranks of Tenno arrayed across the field. Dozens of warframes, hundreds of warframes. _Thousands_. It was impressive. Even if they were not the proud Prime frames like she had worn since her ascension to her duty, but the copies that the Orokin had made in their desperation it was still impressive.

 _Lilly, what is going on?_ The voice demanded inside her head. She knew the woman. Didn't she? _What is the Emperor_ doing _?_ Lilly fought the compulsion inside her, but she could not speak even mentally. _None of you will talk to me! What is_ _happening_ _?_

She knew the voice. The Lotus. Once a Tenno female much like Lilly, she had merged with an AI and become something far more. And far less. Lilly could only weep inside the prison of her own mind as light played across the ranks of Tenno and the Emperor's voice boomed out.

"The war is _over!_ " Cheers sounded following the Emperor's words. "Our heroes stand before us! These noble souls have determined to continue to serve. They will guard us. Our future. Forever!" Cheers sounded again.

 _ **What?**_ The shock in the Lotus' voice could not be feigned. Could not be ignored. _Lilly! What is he_ _saying_ _! Artos! Tomas! Someone_ _talk_ _to me!_

 _Lotus..._ Lilly screamed in her mind but only a dull croak sounded. It was heard. Something grabbed hold of her mind and the female voice gasped.

 _Oh my god!_ The Lotus sounded scared now. _Lilly!_ Something wrapped around Lilly's mind, shutting her away from the other. Away from the compulsions. She immediately started to cry. No one noticed her shudders amidst the cheers and adulation of the crowd. _This is... he_ _violates_ _the Code... He ignores the system while it burns and plans to_ _enslave_ _all of my children?_

 _Lotus. Kill me._ Lilly begged.

 _Lilly._ The Lotus' mind wrapped around the sobbing Tenno. _He had broken with the Code. He is in the wrong. The system is falling into chaos and he is ignoring it. What_ _else_ _has he done?_

 _Shield them..._ Lilly begged as the energy playing over the ranks of Tenno gathered in the amphitheatre changed. The ranks wavered and Lilly could only stare as they... they drew weapons and attacked their neighbors. _No!_

 _Lilly, you have to stop this._ The Lotus said sharply. _I cannot. I cannot..._ She gave a pained grunt. _I...they are going_ _mad_ _. Lilly!_

 _The rest of the detail..._ Lilly said sadly. _All controlled._

 _Do your duty, Tenno._ The Lotus said softly. _I have to save what I can. I... I am sorry, Lilly. I can free you. But the others? I.. I cannot._

 _I will do my duty._ Lilly was crying hard as whatever force held her suddenly released. Not just her! The Tenno in the amphitheatre were suddenly focusing on each other, their blades flashing as they attacked and defended. But some were leaping into the stands where the people who had been invited to see the celebration had sat, stunned. Blood and worse things flew as Tenno cleaved through unarmed beings like red hot knives through tissue paper. Screams sounded.

Before anyone realized she was free, Lilly had her skana in hand and had it plunged deep into the back of the Emperor. But what happened next...

 _Good girl, Lilly!_ The jubilant mind that slammed into hers was... familiar. Not the evil sadistic scum who had enslaved her. No, this was a mind she knew from before. In better times! _Strike! Cut deep, my fair Lilly. Kill me!_

 _No._ Lilly begged. _I cannot do this._

 _If you do not, the evil ones who enslaved me will take control again._ ** _Strike _**_Tenno_ _._ ** _End_** _this!_ Lilly was sobbing as her blade dug deeper and deeper into the back of the Emperor. He went down in a heap as screams started around them all. Then everything seemed to stop as golden energy surrounded the Emperor and his guards. Actually, it did stop. A last ditch defense system that took the occupants outside of space and time for a short period. The Emperor had the coolest toys after all.

" _Lilly!_ " Artos screamed. " _What...?_ " Blades were coming out all around her, but they stopped as the Emperor spoke.

"Stop. Not her fault. They... planned their coup well." The Emperor said softly as his blood pooled out, Lilly kneeling beside him keening.

" _Coup_?" Artos was hardly the only one who spoke the horrible word, stunned. "We... We failed you."

"No, Guard Commander." The Emperor's voice was even softer now. "I failed _you_. I failed _everyone_. I failed the First. I failed my people. I failed. Lilly..." His voice pleaded. "You freed me, Lilly. Save what you can. Our people are doomed. Orokin is doomed. Too much. Too fast. They wanted slaves. But some things cannot be controlled. _Promise me_ , Tenno. Save what you _can_!"

"We will." Artos voice was a terrible thing.

"Lilly disrupted the controls, but the conspirators will have more. Do _not_ let them escape, Guard Commander!" The Emperor's voice was very faint now and it gentled. "Ah, Lilly. I wish... I wish we had possessed more time. I wish... I had walked in the garden with you... _one_ more time. Talked of Zen and simpler things. I was such a fool."

"I wish I had taken your offer. Maybe I could have changed something? Stopped this." Lilly said sadly as she held his hand. "But I would have made a crappy wife."

" _Wife?_ _Hell_." The Emperor smiled at her. "You would have made a _great_ Empress." He gave a deep sigh... and died. His energy faded.

"What...?" Lilly asked. "That isn't right. He was supposed to go into the database? Right?"

"I don't know, Lilly." Artos said soberly. "But we have a problem. This time shift sphere will fade momentarily and when it does..."

"I killed the Emperor." Lilly bowed her head. "Do what you must."

"Lilly, _shut up_." Artos snapped. "We have a battle to fight. Then... we need to do as he ordered. Lilly. The crown." Lilly swallowed hard and took the now dull and lifeless crown of Orokin from the head of the man she had loved once. "Do we know who is involved?"

"No." Guiscard said savagely as he checked his Glaive. "I have seen several different courtiers and doctors who did those things to us. You?" Artos growled and Lilly nodded.

"The same." The Rhino said savagely.

"Then we have no choice." Lilly said quietly as she held the crown in one hand and raised the other. "We kill them _all_."

Was it her imagination that a gentle hand caressed her helmet? That a familiar soft voice spoke in her ear? Saying 'That's m'girl'? Had to be.

"Our orders are to slay everyone who might be connected to this plot and save what we can." Artus said to the team as they readied themselves. "We cut our way to an exit. Try to find an heir we can trust. Maybe Eliza? We meet at Avalon. I stay with Lilly and the crown." The golden sphere faded and they stood in the middle of a sea of chaos. Screams sounded from all around as Tenno carved their way through. Here and there, some warframes fought others.

"The Emperor!" A cry went up from the immediate area. "The Emperor is dead! The crown is _mine_!" Lilly spun to see one of the Emperor's sons stride forward, his race jubilant. "Give me the crown, slave!" He froze as Lilly snarled at him. "What?"

"There is one." Lilly raised her hand and the human was outlined in golden energy. He barely had time to scream before Artos fired a careful shot that blew him -and the three courtiers standing around him- into atoms.

"Betrayers!" Several voices screamed form all around as the Royal Guard darted away. But they did not go quietly. Each used powers, blades and firearms to clear the path. Suddenly the dais was empty except for the fallen body of the last Emperor of Orokin and bitter memories.

The mad Tenno in their way would not bar them. _Nothing_ would. They _would_ obey the last command of the last Emperor of Orokin. Any who dared stand in their way would _perish_.

 **The Present**

Lilly stopped speaking, her voice horse with pain, fear and loss. Eliza hugged her again as Lilly cried. Others had come in during Lilly's explanation. Olim stood to one side, his face a mask. Guiscard stood on the other side, his Ash Prime warframe still. Nikis and Sun stood right behind Eliza.

"Son of a _bitch_." Nikis sounded awed. "What were they _thinking_?" Lilly shook her head. No one else moved.

"Oh Lilly." Eliza hugged the crying female Tenno tighter. "I am sorry. I am so sorry. I didn't want to make you relive it." Stalker just stood, stunned. And she continued. "Other conspirators tried to take control and the Tenno they enslaved turned on them. Orokin collapsed. Artos and Lilly collected a squad of Royal Guard that had been deployed. They found me. I had been caught up in the chaos even though I tried to avoid it. I was badly hurt, barely coherent. Four of them died getting me clear of that mess. The others worked to pull survivors to safe places. Eventually to our save what they could. Many fell doing so." She slumped a bit. "Now? Only Guiscard and Lilly remain of the Emperor's detail. They both have demanded to be executed for what happened. I have denied it."

"No." Stalker said slowly. "This... This is not what I remember. I was... I was in the stands..."

"You were on guard." Guiscard said quietly. "You stayed at your post. The Tenno in the stadium... they went mad. We think that the people trying to control them ether lost control when the Lotus started jamming their signal or could never get it to work right in the first place. Either way, the result was the same. Almost everyone died."

"Our world ended."


	15. Chapter 15

**Phases**

"Orokin fell." Stalker said into the silence that seemed overpowering. "I... woke in the stadium, surrounded by death. Tenno. Human. The Emperor lay where he had fallen."

"Me too." Olim's voice held old horror. "I staggered out, barely alive and was found by rescue workers. They took me to healing. My memories were sequestered for my own sanity. Now? With help I can face them." He bowed his head and swallowed hard. "The first I knew of any difficulty was when my neighbor drew her skana and killed the Tenno on her other side. Maybe my mental shields were stronger? Maybe I was protected some other way? I don't know." He shook his head. "Most of the Tenno, indeed, almost _all_ of the Tenno, were scattered about the system. Still fighting, cleaning up the mess."

"So, the Collapse. " Stalker swallowed as hard as Olim had.

"What was started that day had been a long time coming and was _not_ going to be stopped." Lilly's voice was soft. Calm, but just barely. "We never found out how many of the Emperor's court were involved. Michael was." She said to Eliza who bowed her head.

"Michael?" Stalker asked.

"The father of my daughters. The eldest son's illegitimate child. For a time I thought he loved me, but it was a lie." Eliza's voice was flat, but Stalker jerked anyway. "He tried to steal power again. He failed. Barely."

"I give apology, Empress." Stalker said, bowing his head. "My oath... was made in anger. In hate. I..."

"So many died that day." Eliza said softly as if she hadn't heard him. "Then it was _complete_ chaos. Tenno fighting insane Tenno. Orokin fighting Orokin. Infested _everywhere_. The Grineer who founded their Empire took refuge in shelters on Luna. We had suspected something bad was coming." She bowed her head tears of her own starting to fall. "Even _I_ could see it coming. But not _that_. I was powerless to stop it. My family did this. _We_ destroyed Orokin."

"No!" The horrified word came from everyone else in the room, but Eliza did not stop speaking.

"We failed. All of us." Eliza said sadly. "We failed our duty. We failed our people. We failed our most devoted guardians." She hugged Lilly again and held her."I wanted to give up. To deny the crown. To die. They wouldn't _let_ me." Fond exasperation sang in her tone.

"Of course not." Stalker said softly. "They are Tenno. They do their duty." He slumped a bit. "I thought I knew what my duty was. But... Lilly, Guiscard. I... I didn't know."

"How _could_ you?" Guiscard said reasonably as Lilly cried into Eliza's shoulder. "We didn't think any of the others survived. We saw so many Royal Guard pulled down or caught up in the chaos. Some tried to stop the crazed ones. Then the few we found, we passed on the Emperor's orders to save who we could. Most of them fell doing so. Others? I don't know." The Ash Prime bowed his head. "You are the only other one we have found. We have trained new Tenno to take up the mantle." Stalker nodded to that.

"The Guard will endure." Stalker said slowly. "The duty of the Guard is not done." Lilly and Guiscard shook their heads. "Did they... do the same to me? Control me?"

"Yes." Lilly and Guiscard replied as one. Guiscard took a deep breath and continued as Eliza calmed Lilly. "All of us had the same controls placed in us but we think all the ones who _had_ control died in that stadium."

"There is no way to know for sure." Stalker replied softly. Guiscard shook his head. "So... what?" He looked at Nikis, but the gunfighter would not meet his gaze. He looked at Sun, but the interrogator was looking at Eliza who shook her head. "Empress?"

"How many oaths?" Eliza asked quietly. "Do you remember?" Stalker stared at her and thought hard for a moment. No one spoke until he did.

"It is not entirely clear." Stalker admitted. "Three at least. Maybe five. I cannot break them."

"I know." Eliza said softly. "And much as I would love to find another living Royal Guardsman..." She said in a tone that was somehow both gentle _and_ steely. "You have transgressed. And not _just_ against _your targets_."

"I know." Stalker knelt slowly. "I never intended what happened. I never intended being hurt, meeting Iriana, any of it. Yes, as soon as I realized she was serious, I thought about taking her away. Enlisting her in my search. In my quests." He bowed his head. "I am glad I didn't."

"Me too." Eliza took a deep breath and then spoke again. "Can you speak the oaths you swore?"

"No." Stalker said quietly.

"And you seek to slay Tenno only." Eliza pressed. No one else seemed to be breathing. Or wanted to interfere.

"I seek justice." Stalker said with a grunt.

"Against beings who were _not_ the ones guilty of the crimes you thought." Eliza said quietly. Stalker jerked, his head flying up as he stared at the Empress. She shook her head. "What you have done... You have slain Tenno who had nothing to do with the attack. Nothing. My daughter. Sun's sister. _Many_ others."

"I am bound by my oaths, Empress." Stalker shook his head. "Right, wrong or indifferent. I am still bound by them." Lilly hugged Eliza and rose to stand by Guiscard. Eliza rose and moved away. All of the Tenno in the room looked at Nikis who gave a deep sigh.

"And this is why Tenno should not swear such quickly or in anger." Stalker started to protest, but cut himself off as Nikis waved at him. "Shaddup!" He snapped and Stalker did so. He wasn't stupid. "In any _other_ situation, such devotion to one's cause might be laudable." The ancient gunfighter said heavily. "But this? You kill beings who did not do what you kill them for. You claim the moral high ground, using the deaths of evil beings as your reasons to attack and _kill_ Tenno."

"Fal-" Stalker froze in mid-word as the muzzle of one of Nikis' Magnus pistols appeared in his face. No one dared breathe hard.

"You say that word and I _will_ shoot you." Nikis said sternly. "If _anyone_ here is _False_ , _you_ are!" The words were cold and unemotional, but the sheer intensity was enough to stun. "I trained many of poor kids the Orokin made. They are not perfect. _None_ of them. But most of them _try_. _Try_ to follow the Code, often to their detriment. But they are young. So much younger than me, or Sun or even Lilly and Guiscard. Even _you_." The old gunfighter shook his head. "Were _you_ any better at first? _I_ wasn't."

"Gunning me down won't change anything, Nikis." Stalker said quietly when he was reasonably sure Nikis wouldn't shoot. "I have contingencies."

"I know." Nikis wasn't calm. No. But he _was_ a bit less intense. "And they probably activated as soon as we grabbed you and recovered Serene's body and ship. So yeah..." Nikis agreed. "Killing you here and now will solve nothing. You are sworn. We have shown you the truth. Will you continue to seek the deaths of Lilly and Guiscard? Be silent, girl!" Nikis commanded as Lilly opened her mouth. She froze and nodded. Here and now, he was not the addled old coot he played at times. He was _just_ not the insane gunfighter. He was the eldest Tenno present. His will was _law_.

"I want to say 'No'." Stalker said after a moment. "This new information... It changes everything. But my oaths _stand_. So 'Yes'."

"You will never get them." Nikis sounded...odd. Not calm, not angry. Resigned? "We will not let you spill the blood of your kindred Guards. Of the sole survivors of the horror that took place. The sole witnesses to what actually happened."

"You cannot stop me." Stalker replied just as quietly. "Lilly is begging for death. Guiscard?" The Ash Prime shook his head.

"Lilly had to kill one she loved more than life itself." Nikis said into the silence. "She asked to be relieved from her duty when she found herself attracted to the man who became the Emperor. Her superiors refused." Lilly jerked and bowed her head. "She was and _is_ damn good at her job."

"High praise from you." Stalker replied. "So... what? Kill me?"

"I want to." Nikis said evenly. "I don't like people who do what you do. Who lie and cheat and steal and kill because you _can_. _Shaddup_!" He snapped as Stalker opened his mouth again. "I ain't _done_."

"This is pointless, Nikis." Stalker kept his cool through sheer force of will. "I cannot break my oaths. You can kill this copy, but..." He froze as Nikis chuckled. "You son of a bitch." Stalker breathed. "What have you done?"

"Eliza demanded we try." Nikis nodded to the Empress who nodded back. "But we all know that blood oaths cannot be broken. You swore to kill those responsible for the Emperor's death, but all of them _are_ dead. Lilly and Guiscard are not responsible no matter how they may _feel_." This...wasn't the addled old coot and viscous gunfighter. This Tenno was cold. Ancient. Powerful. _Scary_. "You believe they are and your copies will continue to do what they do. But _this particular copy's_ depredations end _here_."

"What have you _done_?" Stalker repeated.

Nikis did not answer. Instead, he jerked his head and vanished. Eliza, Lilly, Guiscard and Olim also vanished. That left Stalker alone with Sun. The Loki Prime just looked at him.

"Go ahead." Stalker shrugged. "You know you want to."

"We have time." Sun said with a shrug of his own. "I cleared my schedule and asked for leave." Stalker went still. "For the next _month_."

Stalker swallowed hard as Sun slowly unlimbered his Bo Prime staff. Most virtual worlds ran on accelerated time. A _day_ in a virtual world could be _minutes_ in the real world. A _month's_ worth of real world time...?

"I didn't know she was your sister." Stalker said softly. "I didn't target her specifically."

He bit back a scream as the staff came whistling in and knocked him down. It didn't hurt him. But the pain would come. Soon.

"I don't _care_."

* * *

 **Reality**

"I..." Lilly was shaking as the others returned to their bodies. "I remember him. He was a good Tenno. Once."

"He made the oaths, Lilly." Eliza gave her a hug despite the Guardswoman's warframe. "His path was by _choice_. Part of me almost wishes to watch what Sun will do to him. For Oria." The others looked at her and she grimaced. "The _rest_ of me is _very_ glad I can't."

"Wise." Nikis grunted. "That won't stop him. But _that_ copy is gone. It will take Sun a while to work his mad off. Did we get anything?" He asked Olim who nodded.

"Some." Olim shook his golden hooped helmet. "He was protected from most probes. But not code enhanced virtual ones. Riana got a bit of information. Locations of stashes and such. Most are likely trapped."

"More than likely." Nikis agreed. "Lilly, Guiscard." He moved to where the Nova Prime and Ash Prime both stood. "You both went through _hell_. To be enslaved is a Tenno's worst nightmare. To be enslaved by those you are sworn to _protect?_ " He took Lilly's hands in his and gave them a squeeze. "You will believe until the day you pass the threshold that you were at fault. But it wasn't your fault." Lilly was shaking and Nikis drew her into an embrace. "Lilly, Guiscard, the Tenno need you. The Royal Guard need you. Do not rush to discover what lies beyond the threshold."

"He loved me, Nikis." Lilly said sadly. "He never married after I told him 'No'. He had children, but never married."

"Lilly." Nikis groaned. "I am no good with this mushy stuff. So I am just going to tell you what _you_ tell others. Your path is your own. You make your choices and live with the consequences. You have both done well. Done us all proud." Lilly and Guiscard nodded to him and Nikis gave himself a shake. He released Lilly and stepped back, his tone returning to his usual cantankerousness. " _Look_ what you made me do! You made me look _soft_." Lilly smothered a chuckle. Mostly.

"I didn't see anything." Eliza said as she eyed the ceiling. "You?" She asked Olim who shook his head. Nikis made a strangled noise and then Eliza sobered. "The Caretakers?"

"We are on it." Olim and Nikis chorused. The Frost Prime and Nekros looked at each other and shared a nod.

"Keep me informed." Eliza said formally. The others nodded. "So...Serene is dead. Amelia?"

"Still working on that." Nikis shrugged. "The enthrallment is not the same as we saw during the War, but it is close enough to be worrying." He shook his head. "I don't think they can save her."

"If Alicia and Brianna cannot, then no one can." Eliza grimaced. "Iriana?"

"She is staying with Mishka." Olim sounded worried. "She is stressed."

"Can't blame her."

* * *

 **Far away**

"Mom, I need to go." Mishka was not upset. She was calm. But she was also determined. "It is my job."

"Mishka." Iriana was not crying now. She had been. She had spent a lot of time crying since her daughter had come back to the hospital. First she had thought her daughter lost in a freak portal accident. Then she had discovered that Mishka had been kidnapped by her murderous father. _Then_ she had discovered that Mishka had been _sick_ and no one had noticed, even her mom. Said murderous father had destroyed a colleague of Iriana's to try and save Mishka's life. Small _wonder_ the Healer was a bit under the weather.

"It was not your fault, Mom." Mishka's voice was calm. But under it lay worry. "I took the oath, Mom. I do the job. I help them. They like my songs."

"Yeah, they do." Iriana held Mishka's hand and smiled. "I am being irrational."

"No."Mishka said with a sad smile. "You are being my _mom_. I have scared you a lot recently. I hope to stop doing that." She looked down at her right leg. Or what _had_ been her right leg and the odd fleshy cap thing that was slowly growing her a new one. It would take time, but she needed the time. She was very weak still. "We both need some time off, Mom. You have a standing invitation."

"I don't know why your communication node stopped working, Mishka." Iriana said softly. "He didn't do anything to it that I can find." Iriana's own node that connected her to the mass mind was intact and operational. She smiled as feelings of worry and love came to her. "Yes. They would like me to visit."

"If what we were told is true, then they are under threat." Mishka said with a nod. "I need to be there."

"They are always under threat, Mishka." Iriana said with sigh. "Grineer, Corpus... Even many Tenno would kill the Caretakers if they were found."

"Not us." Mishka replied evenly. "Not Karl's people."

"Yeah, but he doesn't speak for all Tenno." Iriana said heavily. "I am stalling." She smiled as Mishka nodded. "You don't _have_ agree with me, you know."

"Mom." Mishka smiled wider. "Lisa's time will be soon. I know she would like you to be there." Iriana made a noise that was somewhere between a sigh and a groan but nodded. "And Jesse needs to talk to us."

"Oh, right. Um... Jesse." Iriana shook her head. She had forgotten. "Did Draco... _ever_ agree to let her do it?" She trailed off as Mishka made a face. "No." She grimaced as well. "She just went and did it, didn't she?"

"Yeah." Mishka sat up in her bed and pursed her lips. "He is _not_ happy."

"I wouldn't be either." Iriana hit a control and moved so she sat beside her daughter on Mishka's bed. "She is on her way."

"I will just hide behind you." Mishka said with a smile that Iriana matched. Neither spoke again until the door chimed. Mishka spoke. "Enter."

The newest Tenno and youngest Cyberlancer entered the room, followed by the camouflaged form of her bodyguard. Jesse wore what was on first glance a normal Tenno body suit. But it wasn't. It was organic. It wasn't a warframe, but it provided a great deal of protection over and above what a normal bodysuit could. It also -coincidentally- protected the wearer from the Technocyte Virus. She smiled at Iriana and Mishka, but it faltered as Iriana glared at her.

"Overruling your bodyguard is not a good idea, Jesse." The Healer said in a repressive tone. "Draco had and _has_ legitimate concerns for your safety. He will do his duty. He can do no less. But angering him is not wise."

"He was being a-" Jesse broke off as Iriana rose to her feet and glared at her. "I..."

"Jesse." Iriana said firmly. "I _can_ put you over my knee and I do _not_ think he would stop me." Jesse looked at her bodyguard and Draco shook his head slowly. "Apologize."

"But..." Jesse sputtered and went still as Mishka sighed from her bed.

"Jesse, she _will_ spank you." Mishka winced and wiggled as if her own rear end hurt. "And she is within her rights. She is the authority here. You disregarded her wishes _and_ Draco's. She wanted to explain to him, show him what would happen. Show there was no reason to worry. You jumped right in and forced Healer to do it then and there. You were rude to everyone."

"He would have argued for another _hour_!" Jesse snapped. "I needed to-" She broke off as Iriana moved to a chair nearby, sat and beckoned to her. "Iriana... I..."

"Come." Iriana's tone could have cut steel. "Now."

"I..." Jesse swallowed and stepped forward. She gave a squeak as Iriana grabbed her arm and twisted her so that Jesse lay on her stomach across the Healer's legs. The garment...retracted from part of her body. It wasn't sentient, but it knew not to anger the Healer. "Iriana! I..."

"How many?" The usually kind and gentle healer's tone was firm as she looked at Draco. "I won't hurt her but corporal punishment has its place."

"Five for you." Draco said quietly. "Five for me."

"Right." Iriana declared. "Jesse. Count them out loud. And do _not_ try to quibble on this!" Her hand descended and Jesse spoke softly.

"One." Jesse jerked as Iriana smacked her again. "Two..." Again. "Three..." Her face was flushed with embarrassment as Iriana educated her again.

"Four..."


	16. Chapter 16

**Renewal**

She jerked awake, heart pounding.

It had been so real, so cold, so bright. So painful. The agony in the back of her head had been searing through her core. Everything had been...

"Abigail?" The voice of her roommate came from nearby and she turned to see Sara looking at her. "You all right?" Abigail just stared. The younger girl was sitting in a full lotus position, floating off the floor held up by a barely visible miasma of green energy. Sara stared down at herself and grinned a bit self consciously as she floated back down to the floor. "Sorry. Got behind in my lessons."

"No problem. That is _very_ cool, Sara." Abigail said honestly as she fought to get her heart to stop racing. After a few moments it did. But the other girl wasn't fooled. Abigail's body might be adult sized now, but she was still a teenager.

"Nightmare?" Sara asked quietly. Abigail nodded and Sara sighed. "Dang." She stood up and walked to where Abigail lay on her bed. The double room they shared wasn't large, but it was comfortable. "You want to talk about it? It _does_ help." She offered.

"I..." Abigail shook her head. "Sara, I trust you." She sat up and held out a hand to Sara who looked unsure. "But... I think I need to talk to one of the docs." Sara nodded, her expression far more mature than her years should have shown. "Are you...?" She wasn't entirely sure how to ask but Sara saved her from her quandary.

"I am coping." Sara said quietly. "The sedatives help."

Abigail bit her lip and nodded. Sara's life had been a roller coaster ride of emotion essentially from the time she had been born. Admittedly, being created by Corpus scientists to be a tool to break her mother's will probably hadn't done wonders for Sara's sanity to begin with. Then the Tenno had gotten involved, Sara had found out that she had _two_ mothers. Well, a mother and a genetic donor. It was odd. But then again, so was _Sara_. Now? Sara had lost _both_ of her mothers. Abigail understood that grief far too well having lost her own family to a Grineer attack.

To gain time to think, Abigail looked around the tiny room the mismatched pair shared. It wasn't much at all. Then again, they only spent downtime here and most of _that_ they spent sleeping. Sara needed less sleep than Abigail did, a fact that Abigail thought was profoundly unfair. Then again, Sara had been _made_ and by all accounts had been slated to have her brain removed to be put into a proxy, so a few concessions were in order. And then, Sara was good company. She was nice. She smiled a bit forlornly at Sara, but paused as Sara shook her head.

"Not the docs." Sara said quietly. "Someone you can trust." Abigail went still and Sara reached for her hand. "Come on. You need help."

"Sara..." Abigail protested, but let the other girl draw her to her feet. Fighting Sara was a bad idea. Small she might be, but she was training with Tenno. She fought to win. "It was just a dream, subconscious images pulled to the fore by my sleeping mind. I don't have any Tenno mental tricks." She fought to keep jealousy from her tone and managed. Mostly. Sara shook her head a bit.

"The 'mental tricks' as you put it help a bit." Sara started for the door and paused as Abigail did not. "But that wasn't a normal nightmare." Abigail stiffened and Sara nodded.

"What do you mean?" Abigail asked, concern mounting.

"You were talking. You were talking soft but I could tell you were trying to scream. You felt what my mom did." Sara said softly and Abigail froze. "When that thing enslaved her." Abigail's mouth dropped open and Sara nodded. "That wasn't a nightmare. It was more. And... The docs are busy. A counselor will be available."

"Sara..." Abigail begged as Sara pulled her towards the door. "It is no big deal."

"I lost _Ma_. I lost _Mom_." Sara said firmly. "I will _not_ lose _you_ too." Abigail had no rejoinder for that and simply followed.

She and Sara had been put together for a number of reasons. Both were studying the same things in preparation for technical training. Both were well ahead of normal classes for their age and both had various groups within the Corpus who would stop at nothing to 'acquire' them. Sara for her unique DNA and Abigail for her programming ability. So it simply made sense from a security standpoint to let them stay close. That way, both could be guarded at the same time. They had also become fast friends despite Sara only being three chronological years old and Abigail being fifteen. Sara learned from Abigail and Abigail learned from her, so it was a win-win situation for everyone. Sara stepped to the door and keyed the com.

"We need to talk to a counselor." She asked. "Is one available?" The reply was instantaneous.

"Sister Violet is available." The voice of the com tech was calm. "Please wait for an escort."

"I will." Sara promised as she turned back to Abigail who was gawking at her. Sara shrugged. "I finally learned not to ditch my escorts. They get peeved."

"Well, we _are_ both high risk for kidnapping." Abigail agreed. Sara grimaced in memory of what had happened to Mishka and Abigail shared it. "Sister Violet though... I thought she was still in seclusion." Her tone was half concern, half query. Violet had been having a crisis of faith and had taken leave from Special Forces to seek a better understanding of things. She hadn't heard from the operative since.

"I don't know." Sara agreed. "I..." She shook her head. "I know -intellectually- that she and the Special Forces are not the ones who made me. Who hurt Mom." Abigail did not react and Sara made a face "I even know the Clergy didn't. That they were trying to stop it. But that does not change the fact that they _are_ Corpus."

"Yeah." Abigail said softly and Sara froze. _Abigail_ had been Corpus. In many ways, she still _was_.

"I didn't mean it that way, Abigail!" Sara said quickly, her face flushing. "I mean... You are different. Horatius and the others are different. But every time I see him in his helmet..." She swallowed hard and Abigail nodded. "It is all I can do not to freak."

"I know you didn't. No one blames you for that, Sara." Abigail said sadly. "What you went through would have broken most people." Sara relaxed a bit and Abigail smiled a little. "You are strong and brave, but there _are_ limits."

"And I am reaching mine." Sara agreed. "I will need help beyond the meds." She opened her mouth to say something else, but the door chimed and she nodded to it. "Enter."

The door hissed open. To Abigail's amazement, Sara froze in place, her instinctive greeting falling into sputtered syllables as a woman in Tenno robes stepped into the room. Abigail did not know her. The woman was red skinned and had dark hair.

"Hello Sara." The woman said softly. To Abigail's amazement, Sara started to _cry_. "Hey." The Tenno said gently as she knelt in front of the crying girl. "Come here." She held out her arms and Sara swarmed into them, sobbing.

" _Lis!_ " Sara sobbed as she held the Tenno. She froze. "Are you...? I..."

Abigail wasn't sure what to do. She had heard about Sara's guardian Lis of course. Who hadn't? It wasn't every day a Tenno was seen outside of a warframe by Corpus and others. Add to that, the rage that still resounded through every female worker in the Corpus from what had happened to Lis while she and Sara in Corpus hands. Add to that the shame in the males. Sara had gotten away. Lis had been hurt, very badly. The things done to her turned Abigail's stomach and the ones who had hurt her hadn't even guessed she had been Tenno! But then, details got sketchy. Abigail knew Lis had been hurt, but she had been mobile. Then, she had been healing after Sara had started her apprenticeship alongside Abigail.

"I am better, Sara." Lis said gently as she held the still sobbing girl. "And I have been briefed. Oh _Sara_." She hugged Sara tight and Sara returned it carefully. Lis shook her head. "I am healed, Sara. You knew it wouldn't take six months." She chided gently. Sara shook her head, but apparently wasn't capable of speech so Lis just held her and looked at Abigail who shut her mouth with a click. "Hello. I am Lis."

"Sara's guardian." Abigail gave a half bow. "I have heard...some."

"Truth and fiction both probably." Lis smiled a bit sadly. "That is the way of things. I got out of the pod two hours ago and have been catching up." She looked Abigail up and down and then nodded. "You are scared." Abigail nodded and Lis nodded again. "You have nothing to fear from me."

"I know." Abigail said quietly. "Mercedes and Vina both tell stories about you. They liked you." She smiled a little forlornly. "I didn't know executives could feel that way."

"Oh, Vina and Mercedes are _not_ normal executives, if there _is_ such a thing." Lis aid with a smile. No, that was a _grin_! Abigail felt her mouth emulate it and she relaxed a little. Lis gave Sara another hug and released the girl. "How you doing, Sara?"

"Not so good." Sara brushed her eyes with her sleeve, fighting for calm. "First Ma and then Mom, and... I..."

"Yeah." Lis embraced Sara again and held her. "Jenni?" Abigail went still. The woman Jenni had been the previous Reverend Mother of the Clergy before a mind wipe. Said wipe had been a kindness, to let her forget centuries of horror and start a new life. "They said you like her."

"I do." Sara admitted."But she is a mess too. She needed time with Rocky. To learn to be a mother again. I needed to learn more."

"And _your_ feelings don't matter." Lis gave a huge sigh. " _Sara_..." _This_ chide was not gentle.

"Don't be mad at me, Lis." Sara begged. "I didn't mean to be rude. I tried not to be." Lis shook her head, released the girl and rose. "Lis?"

"You need help, Sara." Lis held out her hands. One to Sara who took it instantly and one to Abigail who stared at it. "Both of you need help." She stood there, hand outstretched. "And yes, we need to talk to Violet. But not alone. Jesse and Draco will be there too."

"What?" Sara stammered instants before Abigail could say the same. Neither was expecting Lis to frown. "Lis?"

"Jesse made a serious mistake, Sara." Lis said after a moment. "She came here with Draco. He and Draco were going to go to the Caretakers, for a bunch of reasons I have heard and a few I can guess. Draco was... um... not enthused with what would have to happen to protected Jesse where she was going. Sara made a face and Lis nodded. "Mishka told you about that?"

"Ick." Sara agreed. Abigail looked at her and Sara shook her head savagely. "Do not ask. You do _not_ want to know." She turned back to Lis. "So... what happened?"

"Draco was objecting." Lis' tone said she wouldn't have done anything different if it had been Sara involved. "Iriana was explaining and had that Infested Healer make one of the pods to show him what would happen and how. Jesse jumped right in it before she could, forced it to start."

"What?" Sara paled and Lis nodded. " _Against_ Iriana's wishes?" Lis nodded again. "Oh dear..." Abigail looked blank and Sara gulped. "That is insubordination, Abigail."

"Oh." Abigail wasn't sure what that entailed, but what she remembered from Corpus and Special Forces punishments for such wasn't good. At all.

"She is not a Warrior, Abigail, Sara." Lis reassured her. "She wasn't going to be punished as such. But she _was_ punished. Then Iriana commanded she go talk to Violet. Which is where we are going right now." Her free hand twitched and Abigail took it.

Abigail was not surprised when the other started off. Sara looked at Abigail who shrugged. Both girls let themselves be led. Just outside the door, a fully armed Tenno in an Excalibur warframe nodded to Lis who returned it. He followed them, a silent presence that Abigail actually found reassuring. She had heard so much about Tenno, but in her limited experience? None of them had hurt her because they _could_ like some Corpus had. None had even been _rude_ to her. Neither Lis nor Sara spoke as they walked and Abigail was trying hard to quell her unruly thoughts. They wouldn't help.

The walk was short. The Relay wasn't that large and the secure portions were even smaller. But then Abigail stiffened a bit as a door opened ahead and she saw into the room. It wasn't a chapel! It was weird looking. Three colors predominated. Blue, red and yellow. Pillars of those colors were... no... Her vision was blurring! She saw three stands with images over them. A Corpus MOA in blue. A Infested Charger in red. A Grineer Butcher in yellow. No... her vision blurred again and a set of benches sat on the floor of a small mostly bare room. A young female Tenno sat on one of the benches and a shadowed form stood by one wall. Fear spiked, but then Abigail relaxed as she recognized the cloaked form of Draco.

Abigail's eyes were drawn to the other side of the room where a women stood, watching as Lis led Sara and Abigail in. The Excalibur stopped outside the door and it slid shut behind them. Abigail barely noticed. She was mesmerized by the woman. Her garb was... odd. It was white and covered her completely, including her head. All but her eyes and mouth. The color was not dazzling, but clean. Was it a gown? A robe? A smock? It was hard to tell. It wasn't like what the Clergy...

Abigail froze in place as she realized she had missed someone! A female form sat by one wall, wearing a habit in Clergy colors. She was praying. Abigail didn't know the woman. Did she?

"Sara, Abigail, Lis." The woman in white spoke softly, but clearly. Abigail relaxed as she recognized the voice. Violet. "Are you well?"

"Abigail had a nightmare." Sara said before Abigail could find her tongue. "She saw and felt my mom... being enslaved." Abigail swallowed as all the eyes in the room landed on her. She cursed Sara inwardly, but Sara wasn't done. "It wasn't a nightmare like mine. So... She needs help."

"It wasn't a vision." Abigail said firmly. The woman in white shook her head. "Then...what?"

"Come, sit."The woman waved at the benches and after a moment, Lis released her hand and Abigail stepped forward to sit on the bench, It _looked_ like a rough hewn piece of wood held up by two stones, but it was surprisingly comfortable. Sara sat beside her and Lis knelt behind them, a comforting presence. "I just got back and I have my work cut out for me. But I will not slack off any more than I could when I was Special Forces." She smiled and Abigail felt herself relax further. "It is good to see you again, Abigail."

"And you Violet...Um..." Abigail paused. "What do I call you? Are you a Sister now?"

"No." Violet sounded a bit sheepish now. "This has all been rushed. They didn't rush _me_ , but you did need me. So I came."

"I... _need_ you?" Abigail queried.

"Not just you." Violet reassured her. "Although I will be happy to help in any way I can. You are special Abigail, never doubt that. You have friends and allies who will help you. Never doubt _that_." The kindness and compassion in her voice was very much at odds with the hardened Special Forces operative that Abigail had know. It must have shown on her face because Violet shook her head. "I have changed, Abigail. But not that much. I found my faith again. It had been... a long time." She bowed her head.

"I am happy for you." Abigail wasn't sure if that was true or not, but it sounded good.

"Oh, it won't be _fun_." Violet said with a sigh. "The Clergy in particular will not be happy with me."

"Your faith is your own, Violet." The Clergywoman by the wall said softly. "Forcing people to believe is what the _regular_ Corpus do. We are not _happy_ , but you are not proselytizing either, so..." She shrugged. "it is your life and your soul. We cannot force you to our way or it defeats the purpose."

"Yes, it does. And I agree with that." Violet agreed. "I am not a cleric. I am not a priestess. I do not demand that others share my faith. All I am is a voice."

"A voice?" Abigail was hardly the only one to say that.

"Yes." Violet sank down until she was kneeling on the floor. "What I learned as a child was directly contraindicated by what I learned as an adult. I went into seclusion to try and make sense of my life and faith. _What_ I believe has not changed, but my _approach_ to it has. My parents taught me the old ways." The clergywoman winced and Violet sighed. "No, Sister Keiko, not human sacrifice or any of the other rubbish that has been put out by charlatans and madmen. But _submitting_ myself to my Creator's _will_." The fervor in her voice slammed into Abigail and she winced. Violet stiffened and shook her head. "Sorry. Sorry. I get carried away. Anyway... I know what I have to do. And yes, Sister Keiko, that involves working with you. And the Tenno. And the free humans."

"To do what?" Abigail asked when no one else spoke.

"To serve something greater than myself. A higher calling." Violet said softly. "As I did in Special Forces, I do now. Mi'lady, we are ready."

Everything seemed to stop in the room as a human form appeared in the middle of it. She wore a white robe similar to Violet's. But her head piece only covered her hair and eyes. Her face was serene as she stared around, lingering on Jesse who inhaled sharply but remained silent.

"Tenno and human." _Oracle Janet_ said softly.

"It is time."


	17. Chapter 17

**Right and Wrong**

"Ah... _time_?"

Abigail kicked herself for breaking the silence, but the smile that Janet gave her let her relax. She hadn't transgressed.

"Yes, Abigail." The Oracle sat on the floor as if she hadn't a care in the world and nodded to everyone. "Time. It is the single most precious commodity in most human existence. Being mortal makes most humans all too aware of their remaining time. Not all react in the same ways and most go on with their lives with only a peripheral realization that their time is fleeting." She bowed her head. "I was that way myself." Abigail did not know what to say to that and from their looks, neither did Keiko or Sara. Lis was silent, her face a mask. Janet shook her head and when she spoke, her voice was ironic. "This is getting too deep, too fast. Stop me if I go too far, Violet."

"Yes, Ma'am." Violet said from where she knelt. Abigail looked at the kneeling woman and then at the Oracle. Violet smiled. "I know it is weird, Abigail. We will try to make sense of it for you."

"I don't..." Abigail wasn't sure why she was the only one speaking. "Do you... Are you worshiping her? She asked Violet. She was not expecting both Violet _and_ Janet to laugh derisively. " _What?_ " Violet looked at Janet and the Oracle nodded.

"No, she is not, Abigail. Set your mind at ease." The Oracle said kindly. "I am _not_ a deity. I have no aspirations to _be_ a deity. I neither need nor _desire_ worship. Religion can be a very good thing. A rock for those who are tossed and turned by life events to cling to for support." She nodded to Keiko who nodded back. "Or it can be the most _horrible_ thing humans have ever come up with. Many of the worst horrors in recorded history were done in the name of one religion or another by fanatics who thought _their_ version of faith demanded such." She shook her head. "I am a woman with power. No more, no less. Not a deity."

"Okay. I can accept that. So, 'time' for what?" Abigail asked quietly.

"Time for me to start fulfilling my purpose." Janet said quietly. Everyone stared at her and she shook her head. "For the longest time, I was looking. Seeing. Trying to figure out what to do by seeing possible futures. I went too far and I was jerked up short." Abigail was hardly the only one to gape at that and Janet shook her head. "There is a lot more going on in the universe than _anyone_ knows. And frankly? You do not _want_ to know. You have enough problems here and now."

"Cannot argue with that." Sara murmured, earning a nod and smile from Janet. "So... what?"

"I do not want people to worship me." Janet said quietly. "Frankly the whole idea makes me _ill_. But the Solar System _does_ need me. There are too many threats, scattered too broadly for even the Lotus and Clergy to handle." Lis and Keiko both stiffened and Janet raised a placating hand. "Nothing against either group. Sister Keiko, I do not remember you. But I have _seen_ your kindness. Your sadness. Your devotion to what you feel needs to be done." Keiko did not react and Janet made a face. "Your faith has been your rock through the horrors you have faced. I ask your help. No..." She bowed her head. "I beg it."

"What?" Keiko asked, stunned. Abigail felt the same. Here was the single most powerful known psi in the Solar System, begging a Sister of the Clergy for aid?

"I am not a good woman, Sister Keiko." Janet said with a frown. "I have see what the Reverend Mother has had to do. And... I have had to do worse. I have had to _watch_ as my daughter went into harm's way." She smiled forlornly at Jesse who shared it. "I am _not_ ambivalent here. I never _will_ be. I cannot be. I feel too strongly, love too dearly. I am angry. Furious even. I see the greed, the pain, the fear, all of it." She shook her head and looked away Violet reached out and patted her arm and Janet smiled before looking back at the group. "When I first became aware of what I was, what powers I had, others called me 'Earth Mother' but that isn't right." Janet said quietly. "I am not a nurturing soul. I have not been for a long time." Jesse was shaking her head, but Janet kept speaking. "I have borne life, but I do not remember it. How can I possibly be a symbol of motherhood if I do not _remember_ such?" She shook her head. "I cannot."

"But..." Jesse started and cut herself off.

"That does not and _will_ not diminish my love for you, Jesse." Janet said fondly. "Even when you make a colossal fool of yourself." She grinned as Jesse's face turned pink. "And _no_ , I think it was perfectly appropriate, what Iriana did." She nodded at Draco who did not react.

" _Mom!_ " Jesse protested.

"What I am, is a _beacon_." Janet ignored Jesse's embarrassment and looked at the others. "Draco called me that when he first saw me and it is true. Not a deity, not a divine guide of some kind. A torch in the darkness. Beacons can go out, be extinguished. But the _hope_ they instill in those trapped in the darkness? Swallowed up by it?" Janet shook her head. "This may mean my death, but I can stand aside no longer. I can watch idly no longer. I must do _something_." At that, Keiko and Lis both tensed and Janet nodded. "I know."

"Be very careful, Oracle." Keiko said slowly. "That way lies madness."

"I know." Janet agreed. "To try and mark every swallow, to prevent it's fall, is folly. I cannot do so. As I say, I am not a deity. As others keep telling me, I am not omniscient and I am _certainly_ not omnipotent. I keep hoping that I never forget that. But I am not perfect."

"No one is." Sister Keiko agreed as she sat up straighter, still on her knees. "So...why me? Why do you need my help?"

"Because you have grieved alone for long enough." Janet's voice was suddenly husky and Keiko froze. "How _long_ must you stand in your own darkness, Sister Keiko? How _long_ must you castigate yourself for something that was _not_ your fault?"

"It was." Keiko's voice was tiny, but everyone heard her. "I ran." Abigail stared at the sister, but no one else moved. "I left them."

"If you had stayed, you would have died too. They would have wanted you to live. They would be _happy_ you made it to the escape pod." Janet's words were calm, but the force behind them was gathering. "The Clergy have told you this over and over. You refuse to believe when they tell you."

" _It was_ _my_ _fault!_ " It was doubtful that Sister Keiko had intended to scream the words. Somehow, Oracle Janet was beside her before the Sister could move, her white gloved hand touching the woman's brow. Keiko went still and then slumped to her knees. Then, like a flash, the Oracle was kneeling where she had been.

"She will be a few minutes." Oracle said sadly. "But she has to see for herself."

"Why?" Abigail demanded, unsure if she should help Keiko. Or if she _could_. "She is hurting! Why do this to her?"

"Because she cannot heal as she is, Abigail." Janet said sadly. "The Clergy tried. She would not let them help her." She bowed her head. "She will hate me and I deserve it. But I have pushed her past her resistance. She needed it and I need _her_."

"She won't help you if you hurt her!" Abigail rose and walked to where Keiko slumped. No one stopped her. She knelt down beside Keiko and then froze as Keiko suddenly jumped. The woman's eyes lit on Abigail and with a wild cry reached out and hugged the girl tight. "What? Sister?"

"You witch." Keiko snapped at Janet as she hugged Abigail. "You _dare_ to show me that! You had no _right_!" She was crying as she hugged Abigail tight. "You had no _right._ "

"Sister." Abigail pleaded as her arms went around the crying sister. "It's okay."

"They _lied_ to you and stole your _future_ from you!" Keiko nearly screamed. "It is _not_ okay!" Abigail stared at then looked at Janet who remained impassive.

"What did she show you?" Abigail asked, heart in her mouth as Keiko hugged her.

"She showed me what happened to my family." Keiko sobbed. "And then what happened to _yours!_ " Abigail went still and then her head shot up and she actually growled as she embraced the sobbing Clergywoman. "They... they hurt you..." Keiko was trying hard to control herself, but she couldn't.

"It is done." Abigail said softly, holding the Clergywoman. "I am past it."

"No, you are not." Keiko said as she brushed her face with a sleeve, anger rising again. She glared at Janet. "You lousy, _lying_ -"

"I need you, Keiko." Janet's words were quiet, but implacable force sang just beneath them. " _She_ needs you. She is fraying. You know it. I know it."

"And what am I to _you_?" Abigail snapped. "What cause can you possibly have to hurt this good sister with _my_ past?"

"You are a lost little girl." Janet said simply. "Crying and alone in the darkness. Crying for her mother and father." Abigail went still and Janet's voice turned tender. "How can I _ignore_ such a plea for help, Abigail? I may not _remember_ being a mother, but the feelings... You are _hurting_. You will for the rest of your _life_. And your life will be _short_ if you walk out that door as you plan right now." At that. Abigail froze, halfway to her feet. "Your hand or your enemies' hands. It makes no difference. Please Abigail. Help her. Help your _self_." Janet begged. "Help me."

"You... I..." Abigail was trembling as Keiko slowly pulled her down into an embrace.

"She is _not_ yours to command!" Keiko snapped, holding Abigail as she lost her battle and started to cry. "Easy, honey. Easy." She crooned. "It is not your fault."

"No. Her fraying now is _not_ her fault." Janet said softly. "She was attacked." Everything in the room stopped at the Oracle's words. Janet sighed deeply. "The attack was intended for Sara, but the projector was short range and he didn't know which bed Sara was sleeping in." Abigail went still, tears still falling. Sara hissed and Janet nodded. "Yes, he is still trying for you, Sara."

" _Bring him on!_ " Sara's tone was one step removed from a full on roar. " _I will kill him!_ "

"Sara." Lis' soft word brought Sara back to her senses and she sat down from where she had been rising into a battle crouch. "Explain?" This was less a question and more a command.

"What your mother did was insane, Sara." Janet said quietly. "Serene tried to subvert Stalker and was subverted instead. Her mind still exists, but it is sequestered far away. Your mother realized what was happening." She nodded to Keiko as the Clergywoman went still. "Yes. She told you."

"We had no proof. Only Amelia's hypothesis." Keiko said weakly. Sara stared at her and Keiko swallowed. "She thought it was an attempt to kidnap you. But _why_? We didn't know about Mishka until it was too late. And none of the Tenno believed us." She bowed her head as Abigail hugged her. "Not surprising."

"He wants _me?_ " Sara asked, dumbfounded. "He took Ma... hurt _Mom_ to get _me_?"

Instead of answering, Janet looked to the side. Draco instantly drew both of his swords. He cut and something fell back from his attacks, part of the wall coming alive as a red and black warframe seemed to simply step out of the wall. His scythe flew and he parried Draco's cuts. Well, he _tried_ to. He was _utterly_ outclassed and he fell back, blocking, parrying, trying to get away. He couldn't..

"Jesse! Sheila!" Janet called and the area came alive with energy as _another_ part of the wall came alive. Abigail was hardly the only person to exclaim as Sheila's MOA form simply appeared the same way Stalker had. Code flew from Jesse's hands, surrounding the two struggling warframes, denying the kinslayer the ability to hide.

 _Stop this, Oracle!_ Stalker snapped as he fought. Draco forced him away from where Sara sat, held in place by Lis iron right hand. She knew better than to try and struggle. Instead she watched as Sheila joined the fray, beams of golden energy flying from the MOA to strike the boogeyman's arm and toss him to the side, just in time for Draco's cross cut with his right hand sword -Honor- to slam under the kinslayer's guard and cut deep. He hit the wall and lay stunned as Draco moved in to finish him. _This does not concern you!_

"Oh yes it does, _liar_." Janet retorted. "I knew you would break your word about Mishka. I knew it when you swore it just as I know any oath you swear now is _meaningless_. _Honor_ is meaningless to you. _Duty_ likewise. Finish it."

Draco did not hesitate. His twin strikes were perfect and the kinslayer gave a small moan before falling to lie still. Then his form faded from view.

"He... wants _me_." Sara said weakly. Janet nodded. "Why?"

"He thinks he can turn you into a version of himself. To carry on his legacy of hate." Janet said softly. Lis started to mutter curses as she held Sara's now trembling form to her seat. "I don't know if he planned such all along, or Serene touching him gave him an opportunity. But he grabbed it. I do not know if it would work or not. The futures are unclear. But _he_ thought so. Thinks so."

"So... Mom...?" Sara swallowed.

"Your mother figured it out." Janet's voice was kind and gentle now. "Amelia always has been bright. He intended _you_ to be the one to try and figure out what happened to Serene. That _you_ would sneak in and he would take _you_ hostage to get out of the facility. That is why he had Serene talk to you. She wouldn't allow it. She could not allow you to be put in such danger. When he got _her_ , he decided to use her to help Mishka. You know the rest." Sara was shaking her head and Janet bowed hers. "I am sorry, Sara. By the time I recovered from my shifts, it was too late."

"I want to hate you for that." Sara said sharply. "But... I know you couldn't. You are not a goddess." Lis held her as she started to cry.

"I know." Janet said sadly. "Lis?" The Tenno female looked at her and there was no friendship in her eyes. "You can do it. No one will stop you."

"You do _not_ rule me, Oracle." Lis' tone was flat.

"I know." Janet replied evenly. "But you would-" She broke off as Lis rose, a Lex Prime pistol suddenly appearing in her hand. Aimed at _Oracle Janet!_ Violet hissed, but didn't move. No one else dared to _breathe_.

"Leave. Her. _Out of this!_ " Lis' tone was _still_ flat and unemotional.

"Ah, Lis..." Sara said slowly. "She isn't really here."

"You _will_ leave her out of this." Lis was frankly terrifying. Cold and stern that Nikis himself might not have bettered. She grabbed Sara's hand with her free one.

"I want to." Janet replied evenly. " _He_ won't."

"And of course you have a solution." Lis voice finally had an emotion. Derision.

"Not _me_." Janet replied offhand. Lis stiffened, Sara staring from her to Janet and back. "I am not omniscient. All I can see is potential futures. But _you_ can do it."

"What 'it'?" Sara asked into the tense silence.

"If you say it, Oracle, I _will_ shoot. Mental projection or no, it _will_ hurt." Lis' tone might have been quiet. No one _sane_ would call it calm. "Pushing the Clergywoman and the kid together, sure I can see that. Both need help. They both denied it. You pushed them so they hate _you_ and bond over that." Keiko and Abigail stared at each other and then at Lis. Janet shook her head. "But if you _dare_ to do the same to _Sara_...I _will_ find a way to kill you."

"You really think so little of me, Tenno Lis." Janet bowed her head. "You, Sara and Serene all helped me at a bad time in my life. When my powers first manifested. And you think I would push you into something that you and she do not _want_ out of a _desire_ to be manipulative?"

"Yes." Lis retorted. "I do."

"What 'it'?" Sara demanded, pulling away from Lis' grip to stare at Janet. "What did you plan?"

"Sara, you will never be safe." Janet said sadly. "Your life will be filled with danger from many directions. The Corpus of course hunt you. The Grineer got a sample of your DNA and it intrigued Tyl Regor. He wants more samples of your DNA." Sara looked sick and Janet nodded. "Lis saved you, but... the Grineer are curious. If they get hold of you again, it will not end well."

"Don't you _dare!_ " Lis snapped, angry now. Janet ignored her, focusing on Sara who was paling.

"And worse... Can she defend herself from Stalker twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, Tenno Lis?" Janet asked quietly. "If that projector had hit _her_ instead of Abigail..."Abigail inhaled in shock and fear and Janet nodded. "It would have driven her mad or placed her in his control for a time. We would likely be searching for her now. And it is _unlikely_ we would find her in time. Even me. I couldn't see Mishka when I looked. Or Amelia. I am too close. To all of you." She looked away. "That has to change."

"Why?" Sara demanded. "For your _visions_?"

"No." Janet said softly. "For _your_ safety and the safety of _everyone_ else, Sara. I am going to step back some, but _before_ I do, I want to fix what I can. Try to heal some of the pain I see. You may ascribe any ulterior motives you wish to me, Tenno Lis, but that is _all_ I want to do. I want to _help_."

Lis looked at Sara and around the room. Then she shook her head.

"I don't believe you."


	18. Chapter 18

**Diffusion**

"I cannot blame you for that." Janet sounded calm. Then again, she wasn't really in the room, under the muzzle of Lis' Lex Prime. "Paranoia and distrust were my life for most of it that I remember. All I can do is try to convince you."

"You cannot." Lis retorted. "Sara, we are leaving. We can keep you safe."

"Can you?" Janet asked. "Maybe you can. I hope so." Sara did not move. She was staring at Janet and Janet smiled a bit sadly.

"What 'it'?" Sara demanded.

"Tenno Lis is upset enough, Sara." Janet said with a shrug. "No need to upset her more. Go on. No one will stop you."

"You are _good_." Sara said after a moment and Janet actually looked perplexed. "Whatever has Lis so upset pertains to me." Lis hissed at her, but Sara did not move, her eyes curious. "And Lis..." She froze. "No."

"Sara." Lis begged. "Don't listen to her! We can help you! Protect you!"

"You Machiavellian witch." Sara said softly, her eyes hard as she stared at Janet who flinched. "You _dare_ use my feelings for Lis and _her_ feelings for _me_ to further your ends?"

"No Sara." Janet said quietly. "Serene is _gone_." Sara jerked and Lis took her hand again. "Even if she _can_ come back from where she is, she would be put to death for what she did. It wasn't all Stalker and even then, the Elders won't _care_." She met Sara's eyes and the Oracle's were gleaming with unshed tears. "Amelia is dying. You know this." Sara was breathing hard as she fought her emotions and Janet nodded. "I grieve, Sara. I do. If you believe _nothing_ else, please believe that. I knew your Mom. I knew Serene." She paused and then shrugged. "The other one mainly, but they were very similar. Both good women. Good Tenno. Sara, you helped me and I want to help you. That is all there is to it."

" _Bull._ " Sara nearly exploded. "Everyone wants _something_! Everyone! What do _you_ want, Miss Super Powerful Oracle Lady? What plots are you hatching?"

"What I want I can never have, Sara." Janet said quietly. "Ever." Jesse jerked, but her mother held up a hand. "No, Jesse. This decision is theirs and theirs alone. If they choose to go, I have to hope that it turns out well. I cannot coerce them. I probably would not be able to if I tried. Tenno are a bit stubborn." Jesse slumped in place and bowed her head. Sheila moved to stand next to her, the MOA making sympathetic noises.

"What do you want?" Sara demanded. "Everyone wants _something_! I want my Ma and Mom back. I want to be more than my _genetics_." She spat the last.

"I cannot answer your question, Sara." Janet said sadly. "If I do, your guardian will be annoyed." Sara looked at Lis whose face was blank.

"Lis." Sara said quietly. "I need to know."

"Sara..." Lis' tone mixed worry, disapproval and regret. "Do you _really_?" Sara nodded and Lis seemed to slump a bit. She lowered her pistol, but it did not vanish back to wherever she hid it. Sara smiled a little forlornly as she turned back to scrutinize the kneeling projection of Oracle.

"What do you want?" Sara asked quietly. She ignored everything else in the room, just focused on Oracle. "And _why_ do you want me and the others?"

"I cannot ever have what I want." Janet repeated. "I want a _grandchild_ to hold. To love. To _spoil_." Sara froze and she felt Lis sudden stillness behind her. "I can never touch my daughter or my son in the flesh again, Sara. Do you have _any_ idea what that feels like? To _know_ that you will _never_ be able to touch those you love in any way except virtually?" Sara started to speak and then closed her mouth. Janet waited a moment before continuing. "With Serene and Amelia? There _is_ hope if dim enough to be nearly impossible to see. With me? There is none." Sara was staring at the Oracle in horror now and Janet nodded. "I do not remember being Jesse's mother. But I _feel_ it. If she ever does have kids, if my son Jay ever has kids... I will _never_ be able to touch them in the flesh." She slumped more. "And by the time Jay is old enough? He will not remember me except as a traitor to the Corpus."

"Mom... I..." Jesse stammered, but cut herself off at the Oracle's wave.

"My path was set the moment I started seeing the visions." Janet said quietly. "My life as a human would end and I would join the Oracles in their separation. The _only_ question was how long I had as a human. I had hoped for more time. To be strong enough to hug Zacharias, Jesse and Jay just _once_ more in the flesh. It was not to be." She gave herself a shake. "So, if _I_ cannot have what I so dearly long for, I _will_ work so that _other_ mothers and lost children will not suffer the same. I cannot help them all. I cannot even help most. But I _can_ help _some_. It will not be much, but I pray it will be enough for me." Everyone was staring at Janet now, Keiko and Abigail with open mouths. The Oracle nodded to them. "You will both hate me and I deserve it. But you both have a chance to heal now. Together."

"And me?" Sara's voice was trembling now and Lis squeezed her hand. But the Tenno did not try to draw her towards the door.

"You just lost your parents." Janet's voice was quiet, reflective. "You are hurting. You are pushing everyone away." Sara jerked and Janet nodded. "Jenni wanted to help, but you pushed her away. Michelle tried to help and you pushed _her_ away. Everyone who tries to help, you push away, because you cannot leave yourself open to being hurt again." Janet was crying softly now. "Oh _Sara_... You do not _need_ to be afraid! You are _not_ alone! We _are_ here for you!"

"I don't understand." Sara said weakly.

"You are not alone, Sara." Janet said quietly. "Never again will you stand alone." She nodded to Keiko. "The Reverend Mother feels the same." It wasn't a question, but the Clergywoman nodded. The Oracle continued. "You cannot go to your sole remaining mother. It would be too dangerous, for her _and_ for you. She will not allow it."

"I know." Sara said in a tiny voice.

"But that does not mean you have to walk this path alone." Janet's words were directed at Sara. But she was looking at Lis! "You are no stranger to love, Sara. But you fear it nonetheless. For to open yourself up for love is to leave yourself vulnerable." The red skinned Tenno looked at the Oracle and nodded her head slightly. Sara did not see that.

"I can't love you!" Sara exclaimed. "Or Sister Keiko! Or even Abigail!"

"I am not talking about _us_ , Sara." Janet said quietly. Sara froze and Janet cracked a small grin. "Come on, girl. I know you are smarter than that." Sara jerked and turned her head to stare at Lis who hadn't moved much at all. Whose face was still blank.

"I..." Sara stammered. "Lis?"

"You need help, Sara." Lis said quietly. "I am offering."

"But... you were going to _shoot_ her." Sara said weakly. Lis just looked at her and Sara stared from her face to the pistol Lis still held at her side. Then Sara actually _laughed_. "Shoot a _holographic projection_ with a weapon that only affects _physical forms_. Oh, you two! You _planned_ this!" Lis smiled and the pistol vanished.

"You needed to decide for _yourself_ , Sara." Janet said quietly. "Lis is _very_ protective of you with good reason. I share the feeling. We both love you. We spoke at great length about this while she was healing. It is _your_ choice. Not mine. Not hers. _Yours_."

"You..." Sara shook her head, nearly overcome. "Lis? I need to hear it from you." The older Tenno female nodded.

"Tenno Sara, you have been hurt so many times." Lis said quietly. "As always, I stand for your protection. But now you have suffered terrible losses as well. You are grieving. I love you, Sara. I have almost from the moment I met you, while still a slave to the Tower. I have seen you face every challenge with honor and courage that put _any_ other Tenno I know to _shame_." Sara's face was steadily turning pink, but Lis wasn't done. "In all things, there are limits and I have reached mine. I can stand and watch you cry alone no longer. I have asked for a change of status."

"Lis." Sara breathed, appalled. "No."

"With your acceptance, I will withdraw from the rolls of the Warrior Tenno, Sara." Lis slowly stepped forward to lay her hand on Sara's shoulder. "I cannot adopt if I am a Warrior. It wouldn't be fair to you."

" _Adopt_?" Sara swallowed. "But, Lis..."

"No 'buts', Sara." Lis said quietly. "In my past, I looked for love in all the wrong places. Now I have something to love and I am _loathe_ to lose it. Oracle Janet and I spoke a great deal. _About_ a great deal." She smiled as Sara fought to keep from crying. "You will never be alone again, Sara. Never."

"Then he will kill _you_." Sara pleaded. "Lis, I cannot do this again. I cannot go through this again!" Lis folded her close and held her as she shuddered. "I cannot watch you die! He kills Tenno! He will kill you!"

"No, he _won't_." Lis and Janet chorused. Sara stiffened at their steely tone and stared from one to the other.

"Sara, the future is not set." Janet said with a shrug. "But this I _can_ guarantee. If you and Lis are agreeable, I can help make it so that while it would be _possible_ for enemies to find you, it would take a minor _miracle_. And _finding_ you will be the _least_ of their problems." Sara stared at her, uncomprehending and Janet smiled. "Keiko? Abigail? Can you stand up for a moment, please? Sheila, may I ask your help?"

"Of course, Oracle." Sheila said as she moved just a little ways from Jesse who looked confused, but did not interfere.

Keiko and Abigail looked at each other and rose to stand beside one another.

"I say this formally, in front of witnesses." Janet spoke clearly and calmly. "What is about to happen is an illusion, created with holograms. No one will be injured or changed in any way." Draco nodded from where he stood and Jesse nodded as well, still looking confused. "Sheila, execute test protocol Delphi."

A light came on atop Sheila's housing and washed over the two standing women. As it faded, Sara gasped. Abigail and Keiko were _gone!_ In their place were two women in garb very similar to the Oracle's. it wasn't quite white, but close. The attire covered them completely except for their faces which were obscured by some kind of shimmering veil. Keiko and Abigail stared at each other and then stepped apart.

"Which is which?" Janet asked.

"Ah..." Sara shook her head. "Abigail is on the right."

"Is she?" Keiko's voice was perplexed from the cloaked form on the right.

"What?" Sara shook her head. " _How_?" She asked the Oracle.

"Holographic disguise." Janet replied evenly. "Add a set of robes like mine underneath and no one will be able to tell the difference between _any_ of you. So, they try to snatch _you_ and wind up with _Lis_. Ouch?" She asked with a grin.

"What about security scans? DNA sniffers?" Abigail asked as she patted herself. "Nice hologram."

"Jesse finalized the workings." Janet nodded to her daughter who smiled, but remained silent. "As for scans and such? I have a plan. But it won't be easy. It will involve danger, but not to you four."

"Then to who?" Keiko asked, shaking her head. "Can you drop this? It feels odd not to be me." Just like that, Abigail and Keiko were back as they had been. They stepped close to one another and embraced again. Then they turned to look at Oracle who smiled and nodded.

"You are still you, Keiko." Janet said with a small, sad smile. "The outside is a shell. You know this. Think of it as a set of clothes. Or a uniform."

"A uniform?" Sara asked " _Whose_ uniform?"

"Mine." Everyone turned to look at Violet but Oracle who shook her head slowly. "They need to know it all, Oracle."

"I am taking it slow, Violet." Janet said with a grunt. "They are freaked out _enough_."

"They are all strong." Violet countered. Janet was muttering under her breath and Violet shook her head. "And _do not_ mutter in Pre-Orokin Arabic at me. I _do_ speak that."

"You _do?_ " Sara and Abigail both exclaimed as one. Keiko smiled.

"I do." Violet had a grin in her voice although it did not show through her garment. "The garment I am wearing is a traditional one if in a non-traditional color." She rubbed her sides, smoothing the fabric. "There are arguments as to whether it was intended as a shade against the sun or as a way to hide and dehumanize women." Everyone was staring at her now and she shrugged. "My bet is that humans did _both_. Some to protect the women of their families. Others to hurt them or hide them for whatever reason. Humans have always been variable. Good and bad mixed together."

"And you want us to wear those." Sara's words were not a question.

"Not these, no." Violet shook her head. "What Sheila projected was what we came up with for a middle ground. Not the completely traditional garb I wear, or the... skimpy thing the Oracle wears." The censure in her tone was completely fake and Janet smiled at her. Only her lower face was visible. "It will cover you completely and provide a way to hide in plain sight. It will also, coincidentally, contain enough spoofers and sensor scramblers that anyone trying to scan you will get a pure human scan but not _you._ "

"I didn't think that was possible." Keiko sounded more than bit dubious.

"For the Clergy, it is not." Janet replied. Keiko went still and Janet nodded. "I am not asking you to divide your loyalties. I think this will benefit all of the groups who stand against the darkness in the Solar System. I cannot be everywhere. Violet and the four of you if you agree, cannot be _everywhere_. We need to spread the light of hope. To do that, we will need many, many people. And we will ask them to go into dark places." She bowed her head. "Many will perish. But many are dying _now_. Something must be done. So I ask, all four of you. Will you aid me in spreading hope?"

Keiko was first to answer. "Yes." She said firmly. "But I still hate you." Her tone was fierce as she hugged Abigail again.

"Good." Janet said without a hint of a smile. "That will keep me on my toes."

"You had no right to do that to her." Abigail said sternly. "But... I can see the need. And she does need help."

"So do you." Janet agreed. "But no. I do not expect forgiveness for what I did. I do not expect you to _forget_ it. It was needed to save both of you. But reserve your ire for _me_. _I_ am the responsible party."

"We will... talk." Keiko said, hugging Abigail again who returned it. Janet nodded and turned to Sara and Lis.

"Will this work?" Sara asked softly. "I cannot lose Lis now. Not and stay sane." She wasn't -quite- begging.

"All I can tell you, Sara..." Janet said quietly. "...is that in most of the 'good' futures that I have seen, I have seen a group who work tirelessly to bring hope to the system. Men and women, humans and Tenno who work to help others. To save lives. To react to disasters, whether they be artificial or natural. To help the survivors to heal and go on. Who put their lives and souls in danger to help others. Many fall but they continue. I did not understand when I first saw them who and what they were. They all wore full robes of many colors, male and female alike. Their faces were always obscured but none who they aided feared them."

"Who were they?" Sara asked. She was stunned as Janet started to cry.

"They called themselves 'Amelia's Voices'."

* * *

"What now?" Jesse asked as Sara and Lis, Keiko and Abigail moved to a smaller room to talk. Her mother did not answer and Jesse shook her head. "Mom."

Draco stood with Sheila by one wall. Violet was near another, kneeling and intoning prayers softly as she genuflected.

"I cannot see you in my visions, Jesse." The Oracle said softly. "I do not know what will happen. You have your duty, you calling. I have mine. Know that wherever you go, whatever you do, you have my love."

"I cannot touch you, can I?" Jesse asked as she stared at the hologram. The Oracle shook her head. "Mom..."

"Go, my firstborn." Janet said sadly. "Do your duty. I hope and pray we will meet again. But I cannot see it." She went still as Jesse bowed to her, a full formal kowtow. When Jesse rose, she paused as the Oracle did the same. "You have made me very proud, Jesse." Then her voice turned stern. "Be true to the Code, Tenno."

"Fare thee well, Oracle." Jesse turned on her heel and moved to the door. Sheila and Draco followed a half step behind.

A few corridors over, a portal room waited. Elenia stood just outside, her Mag warframe fully armed. She shook her head as Jesse approached.

"We have detected Grineer ships approaching our hideaway." Elenia said without preamble. "We intend to flee."

"What can I do to help?" Jesse asked. Elenia shook her head again.

"We cannot put you into battle, Jesse." The Mag said sternly, but went still as Jesse stepped forward and took her hands in the Cyberlancer's own.

"Lisa?" Jesse asked.

"It is her time." Elenia swallowed. "We cannot move her safely until it is done." Jesse swallowed hard. Woman in labor exposed to Void energy was almost always _bad_. Jesse did not need to look to feel Draco's reluctance, but Sheila was buzzing with anticipation. Or maybe a small short circuit. Hard to tell.

"Then let us make sure you that you _have_ time."


	19. Chapter 19

**To Choose**

The Grineer had planned well.

They knew humans. They knew Infested. They knew Tenno. The clones' tactics for all three were pretty much the same. Flood the area with overwhelming numbers. Humans would die or be enslaved. Infested would die and be eradicated. Tenno? They were a bit more problematic, but given enough numbers and firepower - _ **lots**_ -, they too could be driven back. Not killed, mind you. They cheated. Killing a Tenno unless said Tenno was caught completely unaware was next to _impossible_. Destroying a warframe was far easier, but the Tenno inside it often came back. Sometimes within _minutes_ of being downed. It just wasn't _fair_.

Infested were simpler in concept, but very disgusting in practice. The hives that produced the spores that spread the Technocyte Virus had to be eradicated. This got problematic since said spores often infected the clones attempting to eradicate them despite their armor. It generally got done, but the loss of clones was always high. Needless to say, cleaning Infested hives was not a desired position for _any_ Grineer. So, it was usually a punishment detail and the troops sent in the initial waves were not expected to return. If they _did_ , they were generally sent back in. After all, there were always more clones.

That said, this time, the Grineer had been a bit less complacent about the target. There had been rumors floating around the Solar System for some time of Infested who acted differently from the more common ones. The Grineer had actually encountered such, but the available records of what had happened in Doctor Tengus' lab were frustratingly incomplete. Not all that surprising, considering the _mess_ that Jesse -at that time Jesselle- and others had wrought on the place before absconding with all of the Infested test subjects as well as other more specialized subjects. The queens had not been happy with Tengus. The only true clue that the Grineer had found had been a reference to something called a 'Caretaker'. None of their records had shown anything about such beings, so they had pursued every lead they could to find out who these shadowy beings were. Their researchers had found patterns of infested movements and after some time, had managed to discern where said infested were coming and going from. So, in typical Grineer fashion, they moved to destroy it. That was... in hindsight, probably not the wisest of moves. They had no idea what lay within that ancient derelict structure.

Even if they _had_? They probably would have done the exact same things. The normal tactics _worked_.

Most of the time.

* * *

"Four Galleons." The machine intelligence sounded unsure. "Are you _sure_ we cannot at least shoot at them? We could disable one."

"One." Lieutenant Commander Mitchell was _not_ happy. "And then the Grineer packed into the other three know that the place is far more than an Infested hive. And what good would disabling one do? They would repair it in an hour. Max." When you had essentially unlimited personnel to throw at a problem, it usually became quick to solve. If messy. "I am worried too, NightNova. Of _all_ the times for Lisa's water to break..."

"We could have carried her clear." The sentient spacecraft said and then paused as Mitchell jerked in his seta and made a strangled noise. "Or not."

"Not." Mitchell said firmly. "Pregnant woman in _labor_ in the backseat? Oh _no_." Nightnova was fast, heavily armed for its size and had some of the best stealth systems in the Solar system. It was _not_ large for a large spacecraft. "Besides, no space for anyone else and Iriana wouldn't leave her side."

Mitchell shared a pang of worry with his partner. They had bonded neurologically during their first meeting, a circumstance that neither had ever regretted. Iriana and the other healers might fret, but Mitchell knew he was getting too old to fly as he had. He dreaded the day when his body wouldn't be able to handle the stresses of high speed flight. There was truly nothing else in the universe quite like speeding through the cosmos at the controls of a high speed fighting machine. But he knew nothing human lasted forever, even with the medical wizardry available to the Caretakers.

"Anne left with the last group of refugees." NightNova offered. "She is safe and clear. We should-" It broke off and Mitchell tensed.

"What?" Mitchell asked, his every sense peeled. Nothing. Instead of answering, Nightnova activated the high powered camera that was built into the nose cone of the ship. In seconds an image of the closest Grineer appeared in Mitchell's head's up display. Then it grew until Mitchell was staring at one of the upper gundecks. He was about to inquire when something caught his eye. Flashes through one of the armored windows. "What the-...?"

He stared as he saw four warframes advance down a hallway through the Grineer ship, weapons blazing. Then they were gone before he could determine if they were any he knew.

"Jasmina didn't want to ask for help." NightNova said slowly. "Did she change her mind?"

"No." Mitchell swallowed hard. It was cliché, but the Ember Prime _was_ a hothead at times, her temper rivaled anyone he had ever known. She was kind and gentle at times. But then she could be anyone's worst nightmare. She played with _fire_.

"Then...what?" NightNova sounded worried and Mitchell could relate.

"I don't know. Let's see about getting close to one of the others." Mitchell didn't have to speak quietly when surrounded by cold hard vacuum. It just felt right. "Just in case."

"How many troops, do you think?" NightNova asked. "Their specs say they can carry 500 apiece, but against _Infested_?" Mitchell made a noise of agreement.

"A lot more."

* * *

"Jesse, get out of here."

It wasn't -quite- a command. The Tenno wearing the Ash Prime warframe was obviously unsure as to who was in actual command at the moment. But he also wasn't stupid. Draco might not outrank him, but the shrouded Tenno _outclassed_ him by several orders of magnitude. Jesse ignored him, focusing her mind and code on the ancient systems under her fingers. She had it. She had the system almost ready to go.

"Jesse!" The Royal Guardsman known as Janas pleaded again. "They will be here any minute! You have to get to the portal! Get clear!" He cast a worried look at her guard and Draco nodded.

"Jesse." Draco said firmly. Jesse jerked and nodded, her hand falling to her side.

"I did what I could." Jesse said with sigh, her face lined with fatigue. She had done far too much in the few hours since arriving at what _had been_ the Caretaker's secret hideaway. "Security is down for good, but internal surveillance is up. You can tie it into your warframe now." She gave herself a shake and stepped back. "All hatches but the ones you designated are sealed and scrambled. Janas... I..." She staggered and Janas caught her as she fell. He held her as Draco came up, a hypo in hand. "I am _okay_!" She protested as Janas scanned her with his warframe systems. "Draco, I am okay!" She snapped as she rose, stepped out of Janas' grip and avoided her guard's grip clumsily.

"No, you are not." Janas said calmly. "You are out on your feet, Cyberlancer Jesse. Go! We _cannot_ lose you."

"Janas." Jesse slumped and nodded. "I will seal the hatch when we are through it. The ducts..." Janas reached out and gave her a small shove. The Caretakers had planned for the ducts to be his own escape route. But...he knew as well as Jesse that he would _not_ be using them. That was not why he was here.

"Go." Janas commanded as he stepped forward into the gloomy halls that had once been a Tenno dojo in times long past. He stopped as a wrist appeared in his vision. He clasped Draco's wrist and they embraced as brothers. Then Draco was gone, shepherding his exhausted charge to the human side of the dojo and the meager safety that could be provided.

Janas knew he would fall this day. He welcomed it. He had transgressed sorely, against his liege, against his compatriots, against his honor, against the Caretakers. But he was Tenno. He had his duty and he knew it. He felt a distant shudder and smiled under his helmet.

 _Not everyone is given a second chance._ Janas thought as he started for the only spot where Grineer boarding pods could penetrate the ancient but still incredibly hard hull of the tiny space facility. A blast had holed the hull during the Sentient War, allowing the enemies of the Tenno access. The following battle...had been brief. There had been no survivors on either side. _I will redeem my honor this day._

* * *

The Grineer had come ready for Infested. So when they swarmed out of their boarding pods and nothing happened, even Grineer could become a bit suspicious. The area was dotted with the bizarre flora that every Infested facility had in abundance and every marine shied away from that. They fanned out into the facility and found nothing.

[Where are they?] A marine grunted to another as they marched forward, rifles ready. The other shrugged as they approached their assigned position. But again. Nothing. [Command made a mistake?]

He asked as he turned to look at... the falling form of his comrade. He had a bare moment to gawp before the razor sharp daggers pierced through his armor and flesh like butter. He died without a sound and the Tenno who had killed him moved away, a silent deadly specter. The clone had time for one final thought.

 _Not... Infested..._

* * *

The Grineer had come ready to fight an overwhelming force. They had _not_ come ready to fight something that they could not _see_. Janas was not the oldest or strongest of the Royal Guard. But he was no rookie either. He disdained his rifle and pistol, using his Fang Prime daggers and shuriken to dispatch clone after clone in utter silence before melting back into the shadows. But eventually, as he had known it would, his luck ran out.

Janas was creeping slowly towards one of the Grineer field commanders when it happened. None of them were looking his way. All of the Grineer knew that something was hunting them. But none of the ones he had dispatched had managed to report _what_. Some of them obviously thought it was Infested, and some of the Scorches had started frying each and every piece of Infested material they could see, in some cases other Grineer who had gotten covered in muck. None of the Grineer were looking his way, so when the Scorpion bumped into him, it was as much a shock to _him_ as it was to _her_. He recovered first, literal _centuries_ of training as a Royal Guard gave him reflexes that even few Tenno could match.

Before the screamed warning passed her lips, his Bladestorm was active. In two blinks of a normal eye, every Grineer in the vicinity fell, cut down by his arm blades. But the damage was done.

"Tenno SKUUUM!"

All of the Grineer in the area converged on the shout and Janas was fighting. Not for his life. No. For his _honor_. He _would_ hold them long enough for Lisa to give birth and get clear. He _would_.

* * *

"Nikis..." Jasmina was trying hard not to pace. The pitch black Nekros stood, blocking the door of the small room where Lisa was being tended by both Healer and Iriana. "Any word?"

"No." Nikis sounded calm, but his hands were still and not far from the handles of his paired Magnus pistols. "Same as you asked _five minutes_ ago. They will do what they _can_ , Jasmina. You know this." His eyes were not on her though. They were on a screen nearby that showed a horde of Grineer fighting a shadow. "Still hate him?"

"I..." Jasmina gave herself a shake and then sighed. "No. Before? I didn't know him. It was easy to hate him for what happened to Lisa. Now? He is a good kid."

"Always easier to hate." Nikis agreed. She looked at the ancient gunfighter and he shrugged "'s true. Hate is easy. Love? Not so much."

"I...yeah." Jasmina slumped a bit. "I have made a fool of myself again, haven't I, Master?" Nikis had trained her first. She had... been a bit of a challenge.

"Not my call." Nikis' voice was oddly gentle. "You have a right to your anger, Jasmina. Let no one say otherwise. What happened to Dustin..." He looked way from the screen for a moment and shook his head. "It was bad. I am still angry. Always will be. Not even Janet can change that. But _you_?"

"Elenia helps." Jasmina admitted. "The others help. I just..." She shook her head savagely. "I am afraid."

"I know." Nikis said softly. "That is yours and Dustin's kid in there. And Lisa who is a treasure. Not being able to _do_ anything is the worst. Neither of us is a doc. All we can do is guard while they work."

 _Not all._ The inaudible male voice had both of the freezing. _Jasmina_ Dust -Jasmina's slain mate- was calm. _What do you want? You cannot rush Healer or Iriana. What will be, will be, Fire Heart._

"I want to help Janas. All the hatches are sealed." Jasmina said softly. "I could not get to him. I want... to stop hating. But I cannot help him. I think... I think that might start. If I stop hating him, I can stop hating them all. But..."

 _Is that truly what you want?_ Dust's voice was gentle and Nikis stiffened nearby. _To stop hating?_ Jasmina nodded. _Father, may I beg your aid?_

"You know what you ask." Nikis said quietly. "I can do it. But it will take both Jasmina and myself. And even then, you may not be able to help."

 _He does not deserve to die_ _alone_ _._ Dust said softly and Jasmina swallowed hard. She turned to Nikis and bowed her head. _Fire Heart. I love you. I will always love you. Do what you think right._

Jasmina was crying softly as she held out her arm to Nikis, the Glaive unfolding from her hand. She jerked as he did not take her hand, instead, pulling her into an embrace. She folded the glaive quickly to keep from cutting him, but did not resist as he pulled her close.

"Quit the melodrama, boy." Nikis growled as he held Jasmina. "I ain't letting you go. You ain't gonna get away with shirking your duties." His tone turned steely. "We all _still_ got work to do."

 _Love you too, dad._

Jasmina was laughing wetly as orange energy swept up around her, merging with her fire to coruscate around the Glaive. Around her and Nikis and the spirit of her mate that she could feel but not see. It was growing. And growing. It felt... good, but...

And then...

* * *

Pain was his life. Feedback from his shields tore through his neural net. He danced between armored forms, a swift and deadly shadow in white and gold. But even Tenno had limits. He was out of ammunition for his rifle. He had been clipped several times, but his warframe was still intact. For the moment. More and more Grineer were swamping the area. Denying him hiding places, converging on his location. He had not bothered to count his kills but they were easily into the triple digits.

He never saw the shot coming that finally hit him, piercing his armor and knocking him to the floor. His Hikou flew, each ending a Grineer life as they approached, fire still pouting into his still form as-

He went still as the dark walls all around _him_ suddenly came to life. He stared as _eleven_ Ash warframes -some Prime, some not- stepped out into the hall, blocking the Grineer approach. He stared up at the dark gray form that stood over him, Glaive in one hand, green mist pouring down from the other. He jerked up to his feet, disbelieving his HUD. The name... 'Dust'.

The Grineer stared at the mass of Ash warframes. Then one screamed and opened fire. _Too late_.

As one, _all_ twelve of the Tenno had vanished into _Bladestorm_.

Janas was operating on instinct and training as he flashed from enemy to enemy, his arm blades cutting through Grineer armor as if it were made of paper. Then... There were no more enemies for him to cut. He stared around wildly. But... there was nothing. The other Ash warframes nodded to him and faded.

"Wait!" Janas called and two of them turned back to look at him. The dark gray from that was marked with the impossible name and another that was -and wasn't- a Prime Ash warframe. "Why?" He begged as he stared around the silent halls. Nothing but slain Grineer as far as the eye could see. "Why me? Why for _me_?"

The other two Ashes looked at one another and the gray one stepped forward.

"You made a choice once. A bad one. But life goes on. Everyone makes mistakes, Janas." Dust said quietly as his form slowly turned transparent. "I made more than my share. But we who hunt Conner's path..." He bowed to the other and the not-quite-Prime Ash made a rude gesture at him. "...know honor when we see it. You would have died for my mate and child. So, you have another choice now." Janas had nothing to say to that. "Jasmina needs help, Janas. She wants to stop hating, but she doesn't know _how_. The mass mind can help. Elenia can help. She needs more help. Are you willing?"

With that, he vanished. The not-quite-an Ash nodded and vanished as well. Janas slumped and made his way back to where a hatch beckoned him. The walk through the derelict dojo seemed far, far longer than it had been. But eventually, he stepped into a lit area. He had been here several times and the way was quick. But his mind was awhirl. So awhirl in fact that it took Nikis' cough before he jerked to a halt just before running into Jasmina.

"Are you all right?" Jasmina asked softly. Janas nodded. "Good." Janas stared from her to Nikis. The Nekros just shrugged.

"Yu did that. Why?" Janas asked Jasmina who shook her head. "I was _ready_."

The Ash Prime jerked as she pulled him close. It wasn't erotic. It was...a brother and a sister. He bowed his head to speak and then everything stopped as the door behind Nikis opened and a sound came. A _wonderful_ sound. A baby crying.

"You have a son, Jasmina." Iriana looked utterly exhausted, but her smile was radiant. "What will you call him?"

Jasmina hugged Janas and let him go. She looked at Nikis and the bedraggled Ash. All three replied as one. All seeking to choose hope over hate and light over darkness.

"Dustin."


	20. Chapter 20

**Peace**

"We better get moving."

The other nodded and started off. Despite her words, Jasmina took a long, last look around the derelict Tenno dojo that had been where her earliest recalled memories had taken place and more recently had been home to her new family. Then, her heart heavy in her armored chest, she followed.

"They won't get anything." Iriana offered from where she walked beside the gurney she and Haler had insisted that Lisa ride on. Lisa had been adamant that she could walk, but the total intransigence of everyone else had finally made her relent. Of course it helped that little Dustin rode with her. "Everything important has gone or is going."

"I know." Jasmina said with a grunt. "Besides, the Grineer on the ships will be trying to figure out what happened. It is not every day they lose an entire assault forces' biosignatures at the same time. They will be a bit more cautious about invading again. Might even send for reinforcements. Doubtful, but possible." Nikis snorted from up ahead where he walked, but made no further reply. "The charges are set. Five minutes after we leave, every piece of tech still functioning will stop. Including life support." She shook her head "Jesse is downright _scary_ with demolitions. I think we will want to...urge her to find other things to code."

Healer did not speak from where it walked beside Lisa's gurney. Janas ranged behind, making sure that no Grineer had survived the sudden ambush. Not that Jasmina expected any such. The Grineer hadn't known what hit them. Janas had accounted for over two hundred and fifty clones all by himself. The sudden appearance of so many other Ash warframes had to have been a shock. A _very_ brief one, mind you.

The walk was short and before Jasmina was ready for it, the gurney was moving up onto the portal platform. Janas appeared at the door and shook his head. No enemies. He moved to stand beside Iriana and the Healer held onto him gratefully. She was exhausted. Between trying to help Amelia and then the birth of a baby infected with the Technocyte virus from a surrogate mother who was _not_ infected with it... it had not been easy for either healer. But Lisa was alive. Little Dustin was alive. A good day all told.

Jasmina nodded to the others and tapped a command into a console by the door, Then she hurried to the platform. She didn't need to rush, but she wanted to be gone. Before the memories of happier times came and swamped her. Janas extended a hand and she took it as she stepped up to join the odd group. She paused as he spoke.

"Home is where the family is, Caretaker." The Ash Prime said quietly. "And with your permission, I will ask for leave form my duties to further aid your family."

Jasmina went to a stillness that had nothing to do with the immobilization field that clamped over them all in preparation for quantum transport. She was still struggling to comprehend what he said when the world flashed golden and she was...

"What the-?" Jasmina jerked, her hands dropping to her weapons as she saw -not the cave complex she had mapped for the mass mind's new home -but a portal platform in _another_ Tenno dojo! But this one was well maintained! Well lit! Clean! "What? Where are we?"

 _Be calm, Fire Heart._ The voice of the mass mind came to her and she relaxed, but only just a little. _Do not blame Mind of Light or Gentle Dreams for_ _our_ _deception._ Jasmina stared at Iriana who bowed her head. _This is needed._ _You_ _are needed. Here. Now._

 _Lisa and Dustin won't be safe here!_ Jasmina retorted.

"She thinks Lisa and Dustin won't be safe." Jasmina jerked as Nikis spoke. "Well?" Jasmina stared as a white Rhino warframe stepped into her field of view. Karl!

"By my honor and the honor of my clan, they _are_ safe in this place." Karl said formally. "Three levels have been vacated and secured. The surveillance and security systems have been deactivated on those levels by both Olim and Jesse. Elenia and Mishka have both seen what we have done. We wronged you, Sister Jasmina. You _and_ your mate." Karl said softly as he slowly knelt in front of her. "Sword and soul, blood and bone..."

"Stop!" Jasmina nearly screamed. She stopped and moderated her tone to keep from disturbing Dustin's sleep. " _Don't_ say it! Just... Just _don't_!" She begged. "I have... lost too many. Too much." She was trying very hard not to cry as Lisa reached out to her and pulled her hand close and laid it on Dustin's sleeping head. The baby didn't even twitch, worn out from his stressful day. "Karl, what? Why?"

"Don't wake the baby." Karl said, not moving. "I wronged you. I cost you your mate. Our clan stands to your assistance, Caretaker. Now and always." This was an oath.

"I..." Jasmina swallowed hard but then bowed her head. "Karl, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't really _Eliza's_ fault. It was Redi's and Dust _settled_ that account." It had taken a while, but the mind mass had managed to get her to accept that.

"That he did." Karl agreed. "But for now? Your little one needs care and safety. Your people need time to recover. We offer a place of safety and security. We offer our protection to you. _All_ of you. If you decide to leave after a period to recover your wits and energy, we will not stop you. But there were Corpus drones scouting that cave system."

"What?" Jasmina felt faint. If she had taken her people in there, the Corpus would have sent a soldiers. If they had come while the Caretakers were elsewhere...

"They didn't get any scans on your people." Karl reassured the Caretaker. "They may or may not go back in that cave system. Mishka asked our assistance and we granted it. These levels were vacant before. Now? They can be useful again."

"They were moving and..." Jasmina hated it when she stammered. It didn't help that Nikis was snickering softly. " _When_ did you do this?"

"We had a plan laid a week and half ago." Karl admitted. "We hadn't planned on _all_ of you. But the space was cleared out and set up with basics. We were trying to contact you when Nikis contacted _us_." He shook his head. "I assume the Oracle contacted him, but he has been..." He broke off as Jasmina laughed softly with no amusement whatsoever.

"...a cantankerous old _fart_." Jasmina finished sourly with a glare at Nikis who ignored it. "And a _devious_ one too." Nikis tried to act innocent, but he didn't do it very well. She shook her head. "So... Elenia set the portal to come _here_." Karl nodded. "And you vouch for our safety?" The Rhino nodded again. "I see. So... why me? Why now?" Karl did not answer her directly. He looked at Iriana and shook his head.

Jasmina went still as Iriana gave a small cry. The Ember Prime turned to the Healer but Iriana was looking at Karl who bowed his head.

"We cannot save Amelia, Iriana." Karl said softly. "Nikis promised Horatius that we would _try_ and we have tried _everything_. We cannot merge neural nets with her. It will kill anyone who tries." Iriana was shuddering and Jasmina laid a hand on her arm. "I am sorry, Iriana. I know you two were close."

"We were." Iriana said heavily. "She was...a good soul. Trapped and hurt in so many ways, she rose above it. Rose above the prejudice and scorn that many of our kind and others heaped on her. She found love." The Healer shook her head. "And if she had the choice? To try and save Serene? To protect Sara? She would do everything the same way again."

"I know." Karl said quietly. "Sara asked for you, Jasmina. That is why we were trying to contact. Amelia is barely holding on as it is. I think somehow she knows that Sara wants the chance to say goodbye." Jasmina bowed her head in sorrow. "Will you come?"

"I will."

* * *

It was very quiet in the dojo's medical bay. Jasmina wasn't sure at first if anyone was in it. Then she saw four women in robes that were not quite Tenno in design. Three she knew, one she did not. Sara stood by one wall, her face a mask. Lis stood beside her, her hand on Sara's shoulder. Abigail stood by another other woman, who Jasmina did not know.

"Sara?" Jasmina asked as she approached the quartet. "I am sorry."

"Death is a part of life." Sara quoted from the Tenno code in a tone that was just a hair more than a monotone. "We come and we go." She bowed her head as Jasmina came up close to her. "First Ma and now Mom. I feel numb." Jasmina nodded to Lis and stepped close, her arms circling the girl. "She is waiting for me to be ready for it. How can I be ready for this, Jasmina?" She begged.

"You cannot." The Ember Prime hugged Sara gently. "Oh Sara. Is she...conscious?"

"Sort of." Sara said with a gulp. "In and out. It won't be long."

"If you want to be alone, Sara..." Abigail started, but Sara shook her head savagely.

"No." Sara said quickly. "I have been alone too long." She gave Jasmina a hug and stepped to the door nearby. Lis followed, close enough to touch, but not touching. Offering support. Jasmina followed after the pair and the other two robed women followed them all.

Inside the door was a scene that was Jasmina was all too familiar with. For most of her life that she remembered, she had dealt death. She was Tenno. A living weapon created by the Orokin to fight in their war. But she was more than a blade. More than a gun. She had feelings, thoughts, desires. She knew pain, fear and regret. Now? She knew sadness.

Amelia Priosa lay within a quarantine enclosure. Parts of her body were covered by medical machinery, but all of it was separate from the dojo's systems. The Sentient tech that was still growing inside her head was too dangerous to leave anything to chance. And indeed, two Tenno stood near the enclosure. Olim -Grandmaster of Cyberlancers- stood with his rifle in hand and Alicia -the clan medic- stood ready by the banks of medical machinery.

"Alicia?" Sara asked. The medic nodded to her and worked some controls.

"She will be awake in a moment, Sara." Alicia made a noise of despair. "I am sorry."

"Mom did what she thought was right. Like always. No one's fault it turned out bad but Stalker. And I hope someone pays him back for that." Sara said softly as she stepped up to the enclosure. Lis stayed right with her. The other two robed women moved to wall, out of the way. A low moan came from the enclosure and Sara stiffened. "Mom?"

"Sara." The woman on the bed did not open her eyes, but she smiled just a little. "You didn't have to come."

"Yes, I did." Sara said quietly.

"Stubborn girl." Amelia gave a sigh and her eyes opened a crack. "Lis?"

"I am here, Amelia." Lis said with a small bow.

"I...think I talked to Janet." Amelia said slowly, as if talking were a great strain. "Unless I dreamed it. My dreams have been strange. She said... you adopted Sara?" She queried. Lis nodded and Amelia smiled a little wider. "Good. That is good. She needs a firm hand to keep her in line."

"Mom." Sara shook her head, fond exasperation vying with sadness.

"You are going to grieve for me, Sara." Amelia said with a wince. "Totally natural. But you are not alone. And this is actually not a bad way to go." Sara made strangled noise and Amelia blew out a breath. "I do not want to die, but I knew the moment I approached the Clergy that the Tenno would kill me for what I did." Sara bowed her head and Amelia grimaced. "I messed up, Sara. I failed Serene." Sara was shaking her head but Amelia kept speaking. "You have a good life ahead of you, Sara. Promise me that you will try to live it? Do not stay mired in the past. Do not let your hate rule you. For the Corpus. For Stalker. For me."

"I do not hate you, Mom!" Sara protested.

"I have to go, Sara." Amelia's voice was weaker. "I do not want to leave you, but you will not lack for love. Or protection. Do not push them away, Sara. They want to help. Listen to Lis. She knows what she is doing." She cracked a small grin. "Most of the time."

Something suspiciously like a snicker came from both Olim _and_ Alicia, but neither moved. Sara smiled a bit forlornly and shook her head.

"I knew I was going to outlive you, Mom." Sara said sadly. "But not like this."

"I know." Amelia said softly. "Tenno Jasmina." Her tone turned a bit harder and Jasmina jerked.

"Yes, doctor?" The Caretaker asked slowly.

"I stand -well lie on my back- in violation, Tenno." Amelia said quietly. Jasmina jerked and Amelia continued." I gave my word never to divulge the secrets that I unwittingly stole from Serene. I broke that oath with full knowledge of the consequences. I failed Serene and I failed Sara. Saving Mishka was a good thing. But my oath... is broken."

"Amelia." Jasmina said quietly. "You could not have known what he would do." She shook her head. "Perhaps the Elders would put you to death for acting out of love. But the Clergy had the information already, from... the Reverend Mother."

"The Elders will not care and you know it." Amelia's voice was hardly audible now. Jasmina nodded, manifestly against her will. "Please do not make Sara do it." She pleaded. Sara jerked and stepped toward the machinery where Alicia stood, but Lis took hold of her arm and Sara was not going to break _that_ grip.

"You ask me... to kill you." Jasmina asked, stunned. "You who acted... for _love_."

"The Clergy have separated from me as much as they can." Amelia's eyes had closed now. " _All_ I ask is to die while I am still me. Not one of those _things_." Sara gave a small cry but did not try to fight Lis. Smart of her. "Sara, be strong."

"Mom!" Sara cried. "Please!"

"Let me die while I am still me, Sara." Amelia begged. "Please?" Sara slumped and the face she turned to Jasmina was beseeching. Jasmina felt the mind mass' own horror, but they supported her as well.

"Sara." Jasmina said quietly. "Her life is forfeit either way. Do you deny her this?" Sara stared at the Caretaker and then she shook her head, burying her face in Lis' shoulder. Jasmina moved to where Alicia stood. The medic indicated a set of switches and Jasmina nodded. Once flipped, they would flood the human woman's brain with chemicals that would immediately arrest the flow off neurons. Death would be instantaneous.

"Do not hate her, Sara." Amelia commanded, her voice so low even Tenno ears had to strain to hear. "She does what she must and I thank her for it."

"I do not know if I can do that, Mom." Sara said weakly.

"Try." Amelia said with hint of her old voice and more than one face smiled despite the horror of the situation. "Give me peace, Caretaker."

"May you know peace, Amelia Priosa." Jasmina said formally as she hit the switches.

The human woman's body jerked once, twice and then lay still. The monitors all went off as brain death occurred, but Alicia shut them down. Jasmina stared from the switches to her hand that had flipped them and back. Then to everyone's amazement, the robed woman that Jasmina did not know started to _sing_.

'Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me...'

No one moved or spoke until the woman was finished singing. Sara was crying but then she jerked and turned to Jasmina who hadn't moved.

"Not. Your. Fault." Sara's tone was savage, and for a second, Jasmina thought the girl would charge her. Instead, Sara held out her hand. "Please?"

"Sara... I..." Jasmina wasn't sure what to say, what to do. But Sara extricated herself from Lis and stepped to where the Ember Prime stood frozen. She threw her arms around the dumbfounded Tenno and hugged her tight, tears falling like rain.

"She is not hurting anymore." Sara pulled Jasmina and started for the door. "Be gentle with her... her shell, Master Cyberlancer?" She begged Olim who bowed to her. Alicia patted her shoulder as well as Lis and the other two followed.

"We will, Sara." Olim promised. "And if there is _any_ justice in the universe? She has found peace at long last."

"I hope so." Sara managed to say. Jasmina had to hug the girl as Sara started crying harder. Tears fell like rain from both the armored Tenno and the young girl. No one cared.

Inside, Jasmina felt something stir. Something that felt good. Hugging the girl, aiding her through her grief. It felt... like peace. Now if only she could share it with Sara.

She promised herself she _would_.

* * *

Her world had _imploded_. Every ounce of her had fallen away, but then it had been pulled back in. That wasn't what was supposed to happen, was it? She felt fear, but it faded as a voice came to her. Not an audible one. She did not know the speaker.

 _You will forget. You will live. You will love. You will know sadness and joy. But you will_ _never_ _be alone again. You will know the peace and joy that you so desired._

Everything faded for a time. She was...different? She felt... odd. Not bad. Just odd. Hungry. She was hungry. Very hungry. She felt her world change. It was dark, but she felt something... Something was calling her. Another part of her. She had to find that part. She had to get out of whatever she was in!

Instinct told her to lash out with part of her head and something gave way underneath it. Or above it. She was upright. Or something. Light blossomed in her eyes and they hurt for a moment, but that faded. Whatever was pulling her was stronger now. She was hungry. So hungry. But the pull was stronger.

She stood upon unsteady legs and a cluster of shadows appeared around her. They resolved into focus and she stared at them. They were not like her. They had two legs instead of four. No wings. Somehow, she knew they were human. All wore white robes. And all were looking at her in anticipation. She stared back, fascinated. Then she saw the one. The one she had no words for. The human woman was smaller than the others, but her eyes were alight with curiosity and...something else. A touch on her mind, so familiar. So...

"What is her name, Serene?" The voice she did not know, but it exuded power as she stared at the one she was somehow bonded to. _Impressed_ to.

 _My name is Ameliath, Serene._ The newest queen dragon on Pern said with a happy sound as the newest queen _rider_ in the weyr embraced her.

* * *

 _That was far kinder than I expected._ Janet said softly as Serene fed her dragonet. The Oracle had been called to witness this. Not that she could _tell_ anyone in her reality. But it felt good knowing that even if Serene and Amelia could never go back to who and what they had been, they had each _other_.

 _Mom likes Serene._ Her host said with a smile that faded. _The life of a dragonrider is not an easy one. But they will find peace I think._

 _If_ _anyone_ _has earned little peace,_ _they_ _have, Todd._ Janet said with a sigh. _I better get back. I do not know when or if I will be able to get back. So much to do and so little time._

 _Don't be a stranger, Janet._ Todd said as Janet let her mind float back to her own body. _You need downtime too. A little peace wouldn't hurt you either._

 _Yeah._ Janet mused as she let her body sink deeper into the sea she now called home. Her flukes swept once, twice, maintaining her attitude in the deepest part of the oceans of Titan. Her home now.

 _We all can use some peace every so often. And now? Maybe, just maybe... I can help achieve it. For_ _all_ _of humanity._

With that, the Oracle let the visions take her again.


	21. Chapter 21

**((And just to clear something up... A short epilogue.))**

* * *

Stalker rose from his kneeling posture and shook his head as he scrutinized the readouts near him. yet another copy lost. It didn't matter in the long run. He had time. He had _eternity_ to find and kill his targets..Until then? He would continue to do what he did. Hunt Tenno.

It wasn't what he wanted to do, but it wasn't as if the False Tenno he killed were the real deal and-

Everything seemed to stop as a throat cleared behind him. Stalker spun in place, his hands dropping to his throwing blades. He had an instant to see a pitch black Nekros warframe before the pistols in said warframe's hands belched fire and he knew no more.

Nikis smirked as the kinslayer fell and did not rise. He keyed for a recall as something in the room started to beep and vanished into the Void before the self destruct system could activate.

 _Done it for Mishka. For Iriana. For Lilly. Now for Guiscard..._

Nikis shook his head as he waited for the transit to finish. Hunting Stalker was about as futile as hunting Rasputin had been for most of his life. Like the crazed Orokin scientist, Stalker hid most of himself somewhere that no one had ever been able to find. All that anyone had ever faced had been copies. Still, it was good to kill said copies. Sun was enjoying himself with one, but Nikis? He had a lot of hate built up too. Time to work some of it off.

Time to hunt a hunter.

Nikis was whistling silently as the Void released him into the next safehouse on the list that Olim had purloined from the kinslayer's mind and set himself to wait. It wouldn't be long, he was sure. And even if it was?

He had _eternity_ to hunt.


End file.
